Universal Credit or benefits claimants can get phone and broadband for £10 a month
HOUSEHOLDS on benefits, including Universal Credit, can get discounted home phone and broadband for £10 a month from BT.
The scheme could be welcomed by the millions of people signed up to Universal Credit, particularly those who have joined for the first time while they struggle with the financial impact of the coronavirus crisis.
⚠️ Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates
And while broadband providers this week committed to auto-switch vulnerable customers, including those on benefits or who've lost their jobs, onto cheaper deals, don't wait for your provider to move you.
Instead, plug your details into a free comparison tool to see if you can save by switching now.
If you're on certain benefits, BT's package is likely to be the cheapest as it has to run the so-called social tariff under law, even if it's at a loss.
Here's what you need to know.
How do I qualify for BT Basic?
TO qualify for BT Basic you need to get one of the following benefits:
- Income support
- Income-based jobseeker's allowance
- Pensions credit (guaranteed credit)
- Employment and support allowance (income related)
- Universal Credit (and are on zero earnings). This means you have no earnings from employment or self-employment during the assessment period for the benefit.
What is BT's Basic package?
The telecom provider's Basic package costs £5.16 a month for home phone or £10.07 a month if you want unlimited broadband included.
Under the deal, you can get line rental, a £1.50 call allowance, and free weekend calls up to 60 minutes a pop to 0845 and 0870 numbers.
There's also a monthly home phone price cap of £10 to 01, 02, and 03 numbers to stop users from wracking up big bills.
If you want broadband on top, you can get unlimited broadband with average speeds of 10Mbps.
Just bear in mind that if you take out broadband while you won’t need to pay a connection charge for installing broadband, you will need to pay £9.99 to have the a router sent to you.
The catch is you need to be on one of the benefits listed above to qualify.
Get a BT Basic application form by calling it on 0800 800 864.
Is BT's offer a good deal?
When we checked on a price comparison site the next cheapest deal for unlimited broadband at 10mbps and home phone was £17.99 a month.
So you could save around £8 a month or almost £100 a year with BT's deal.
Do other providers offer a similar deal?
KCOM offers similar "Flex" packages for customers on certain benefits, including Universal Credit.
But it only supplies customers in the Hull area of England.
Its range includes £5.10 a month for home phone, £10.50 a month for home phone and 3GB of broadband, £11.50 a month for home phone and 8GB of broadband, and £20 a month for home phone and unlimited fibre broadband.
See for a full list of benefits you need to be on to qualify.
more on broadband
BT and KCOM are the only providers required by regulator Ofcom to provide an affordable service.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
The Sun couldn't find similar schemes being offered by other major providers, although Virgin Media does have a discounted service for those with a disability or who are over 65.
Providers are also now required to tell broadband, home phone and pay TV providers about their best deals, including any prices only available to new customers, when their contact is up.