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End to surprise phone and broadband bill hikes to help with cost of living

ended 12. February 2026

Millions of mobile and broadband customers will be spared the worry of unexpected increases on their bills after major providers signed up to new commitments to help people manage the cost of living, the government has announced.

The UK’s biggest telecoms providers – including BT, Virgin Media O2, VodafoneThree, Sky and TalkTalk – have all signed up to the government’s new Telecoms Consumer Charter.

Under the commitments in the charter, customers will know exactly what they’ll be paying when they sign up for a new mobile or broadband deal – with no unexpected price rises midway through a contract. 

Customers will be given clear information on any future price changes up front, so the price they sign up to is the price they can expect to pay.

Cheaper social tariffs are on offer for those on government benefits, however nearly 7 in 10 eligible broadband customers had not heard of them. In a win for thousands of billpayers, the Charter will ensure eligible customers find it easier to access social tariffs. Ofcom has previously estimated that social tariffs could save eligible households up to £220 per year.

To support those who may be struggling to pay their household bills, providers will proactively signpost social tariffs to eligible customers and offer customers facing financial difficulty the chance to move to cheaper plans without any penalty and manageable payment plans.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said: "Broadband and mobile customers deserve to be treated fairly and not face sudden jumps in their bills. Following action by this government, telecom companies have now agreed to end unexpected mid‑contract price rises and making social tariffs easier to access. These changes will make a real difference to millions of consumers across the country and help with the cost-of-living pressures.”

  • How important is this charter?
  • Does it go far enough? Or is it too little too late during a cost of living crisis?
  • Do people know about cheaper social tariffs for those on benefits?

Responses by the morning.

2 responses from the Newspage community

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Kundan Bhaduri
Entrepreneur, Investor and Landlord at The Kushman Group
For years we have been fleeced by utility companies enticing customers in with a competitive introductory offer, only to slap us with an inflation-busting price hike midway through a fixed-term contract. This is directly impacting tenants who live in our all bills included properties where we have to spike the rents every time the bills go up.

As a professional landlord managing a portfolio of HMOs (Houses in Multiple Occupation) and large rental properties where bills are included, the impact of this change is profound.

When you are paying dozens of broadband bills every single month across multiple properties, the compounding effect of these mid-contract hikes is staggering. In previous years, we have seen providers push through increases of over 14% with zero warning. For a business, this unpredictability is toxic. We cannot budget effectively when a significant utility cost is subject to the whims of a small number of utility companies.
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Colette Mason
AI Ethics Consultant at Clever Clogs AI