Help with home internet access on a low income

Home internet is no longer a luxury. Universal Credit is managed through an online journal, job applications happen on websites, children are set homework online, and GP appointments, banking and council services increasingly assume you can get connected. When a broadband bill becomes unaffordable, or you have never been able to afford a connection at all, you can end up shut out of the very services meant to help you.

The good news is that UK households on low incomes have real options: cheaper social tariffs, free mobile data, free public access, and help with devices. This page explains them in the order you should try them, with borrowing only at the very end.

Social tariffs: the first thing to check

A social tariff is a cheaper broadband or mobile package offered by a provider to people on certain benefits. Most of the large providers and many smaller ones have one. They are usually available if you receive Universal Credit, and often if you receive Pension Credit, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance or Income Support. Some providers also accept people on disability benefits.

• Prices are typically far lower than standard deals, often in the region of a few pounds to around twenty-odd pounds a month, with speeds suitable for streaming, video calls and schoolwork.
• Most social tariffs have short contracts or none, and no price rises mid-contract.
• If you are already with a provider that offers a social tariff, ask to move onto it. Many providers let existing customers switch without an early exit fee.
• Ofcom, the communications regulator, publishes a list of available social tariffs on its website, so you can compare them.

Expect to be asked to prove your benefit, usually by allowing the provider to check with the Department for Work and Pensions or by sending an award letter.

Free data and free connections

If even a social tariff is out of reach, or you need to get online today, there are free routes:

• The National Databank: run by the charity Good Things Foundation with mobile networks, it gives free SIM cards loaded with data, texts and calls to people on low incomes through local community partners such as libraries, food banks and community centres.
• Public libraries: free Wi-Fi and computers, plus staff who can help with forms. Many also run digital skills sessions.
• Jobcentres and community hubs: some have public computers for job searching and managing a Universal Credit claim.
• Your phone's hotspot: if you already have a mobile contract with generous data, sharing it with a laptop can replace home broadband for light use. Check your allowance first to avoid charges.

Getting a device to use the connection

A connection is not much use without a phone, tablet or laptop. Charities and community organisations distribute refurbished devices, often through the National Device Bank, which passes on donated business laptops and phones via local partners. Schools sometimes lend laptops to pupils who need them; for school-age children, see our page on getting a computer for school. Avoid rent-to-own shops for laptops: the weekly payments look small but the total paid is usually several times the shop price.

If you are behind with your broadband bill

Missing a broadband payment is not usually treated as a priority debt, unlike rent or council tax, but it still matters. Unpaid bills can lead to the service being restricted, late fees, a default on your credit file and eventually collection by a debt agency.

• Contact your provider early. Ofcom expects providers to treat customers in debt fairly, including those in vulnerable situations.
• Ask to move to a social tariff or a cheaper package rather than leaving and paying an exit fee.
• Agree a repayment plan you can manage and ask for late fees to be waived.
• Remember priority bills come first: rent, council tax and energy carry more serious consequences.

If you also have unpaid phone bills, our guide to help with phone bills goes into mobile contracts in more detail. For anything already overdue, read dealing with an overdue essential bill.

Saving money on any connection

• When a contract ends, prices often rise. Check your end date and ask for a better deal or a social tariff before it runs out.
• Do you need a landline? Some packages include line rental you never use.
• Drop add-ons such as TV bundles, sports channels or premium streaming you could do without.
• Be cautious about long contracts with price rises written in. Ask exactly how much you will pay each year.
• A benefits check can raise your income and make the bill easier to carry. Free calculators and Citizens Advice can help.

Checklist for getting online on a low income

• Find out whether you qualify for a social tariff and compare the options on Ofcom's list.
• Ask a library, food bank or community centre about free data SIMs.
• Look for refurbished device schemes before buying anything on credit.
• If you owe money, contact the provider and ask for a plan and a cheaper package.
• Learn basic online safety: libraries and charities offer free sessions.

Borrowing and credit: rarely the answer here

Because social tariffs and free schemes exist, borrowing to pay for home internet is seldom necessary. If you need a device and none of the free schemes can help, compare the APR and total cost of any finance, and look first at a credit union, which usually charges far less than high-cost lenders or rent-to-own. A Universal Credit Budgeting Advance may cover certain essentials, depending on your circumstances. Our page on small loans for households on modest budgets explains how to compare options safely.

Scams to watch out for

Fraudsters often pose as broadband providers, claiming your connection will be cut off unless you pay immediately or let them access your computer. Hang up and call your provider on the number on your bill. Be wary of "free broadband" or "government internet grant" offers that ask for bank details or a fee, and of social media sellers offering cheap laptops on credit. Genuine help, such as the National Databank, never asks you to pay.