Broadband and Phone Price Rises: Your Rights When Bills Go Up

Broadband and phone bills tend to creep up. Prices rise during contracts, introductory deals end, and a bill you set up two years ago can quietly cost more than a new deal would. The good news is that you have clear rights in England when your provider puts the price up, and knowing them can save you money or let you leave without paying a fee.

This guide is based on Citizens Advice’s guidance for England. Separate advice applies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The 30-day notice rule

Citizens Advice says your provider should give you 30 days’ notice before putting up the price of your contract.

If your terms and conditions do not allow yearly price increases, you can cancel your contract within those 30 days without paying a fee. That is your strongest moment to act: the notice is your reminder to check whether a better deal is available.

When you can’t leave for free

Citizens Advice lists the situations where you cannot cancel free of charge after a price rise:

• you signed up before 23 January 2014
• the price rise was set out when you signed up, for example when a discount period ends
• your terms and conditions say your provider can put the price up each year

The last one covers many contracts. If your contract allows a yearly rise, that rise alone does not let you leave without a fee.

Contracts from 17 January 2025

For contracts starting on or after 17 January 2025, Citizens Advice says “the contract should say exactly how much the price will increase each year.” Older contracts may instead set out a rise as a percentage or link it to inflation.

So if you signed up in 2025 or later, your contract tells you in advance what your price will be each year. Note those future prices on your bill list, so a rise is never a surprise.

When your contract ends

Many broadband and phone deals have a minimum term. Citizens Advice says you can cancel without a fee if your contract was for a certain length of time and has expired.

The end of the minimum term is a natural time to compare deals. Your price may change once an introductory period ends, so check:

1. the date your minimum term ends
2. what you will pay after that date
3. what new customers and other providers are offering

Put the end date on your bill list with a reminder a few weeks before, so you have time to compare. Our annual bill review walks through this for all your bills at once.

Changed your mind after signing up

Citizens Advice says you can cancel a contract for free if you signed up less than 14 days ago over the phone or online, although you may be charged for anything you have already used. If you cancel by post or email, the contract is cancelled from the date you send it.

If you signed up in person, there is no legal right to a 14-day cooling-off period, though Citizens Advice suggests asking anyway.

Slow broadband

If your broadband is consistently slower than you were promised, Citizens Advice suggests checking your speed and asking your provider for your line’s Minimum Guaranteed Access Line Speed.

For contracts starting on or after 1 March 2019, if your provider has signed up to the voluntary codes, Citizens Advice says it has one month to fix the problem. If it still is not fixed, you can cancel without a fee. For older contracts, you can ask for a discount or for the fee to be waived.

Cheaper deals if you get benefits

If you get Universal Credit or certain other benefits, you may be able to move to a social tariff, a cheaper broadband or phone package for people on benefits. Our guide to social tariffs explains who can get one.

How to act on a price rise

When a price rise notice arrives:

1. Read it carefully. Note the new price and the date it starts.
2. Check your contract for whether yearly rises are allowed and whether this rise was set out when you signed up.
3. If you can leave for free, compare deals before the 30 days are up.
4. If you can’t, note your minimum term end date and plan to compare then.
5. Update your bill list with the new amount, so your monthly total stays accurate.

A bill tracker like Billo keeps your broadband and phone bills with the rest of your bills and reminds you 3 days before each one is due. When the price changes, update the amount once and the rest of your month adds up correctly.

Summary

• Your provider should give 30 days’ notice of a price rise.
• If your terms do not allow yearly rises, you can leave within that window without a fee.
• Contracts from 17 January 2025 should state the exact yearly rise up front.
• You can leave without a fee once your fixed term has ended.
• 14-day cooling-off for phone and online sign-ups; a route out for persistently slow broadband.