Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether Department has identified cases where people in receipt of (a) Pension Credit, (b) Employment and Support Allowance, (c) Jobseekers' Allowance, (d) Income Support, (e) Personal Independence Payments and (f) Attendance Allowance are ineligible for social tariffs.

Social tariffs are high-quality, low-cost broadband and mobile offers for those in receipt of Universal Credit as well as other means-tested benefits. Offered by a range of providers - including BT, Virgin Media, Sky and Vodafone - social tariffs are available in 99% of the UK starting at £10 per month.

Eligibility criteria for social tariffs are set by individual providers. While these vary, Universal Credit is a key eligibility criteria, and a significant number also include other means-tested benefits such as Pension Credit, Employment Support Allowance, Job Seekers Allowance, Income Support, Personal Independence Payments or Attendance Allowance. We do not hold data on the number of people ineligible for a social tariff with any of the 19 individual providers.

However, in June 2022, following our negotiations, the major broadband and mobile operators agreed a set of public commitments to support any customer struggling to pay their bills, not just those on benefits. This includes management payment plans or allowing households, who may be mid-contract, to switch to cheaper packages without penalty. We have also been clear with operators that we expect those unable to match a competitor’s social tariff to allow customers to leave - without penalty - so that they may take up that offer.

In regards to whether social tariffs overwrite existing contracts, it is our understanding that when any customer agrees a new service with their provider - including a social tariff - their existing contract is replaced.