Vodafone’s broadband social tariff costs just £12 per month, making it the cheapest available
The deal has been created for those on low incomes and offers fast speeds at an affordable price
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The cost-of-living crisis has gripped the nation. Everything from the weekly food shop and petrol to energy bills and mortgage rates have seen price hikes, and broadband and mobile phone contracts are set to rise by up to 17.3 per cent this spring.
The major broadband providers, including BT, TalkTalk, PlusNet, EE and Vodafone, all raise their prices each year in April, in line with the consumer price index (CPI), and additionally add between 3.7 per cent and 3.9 per cent to the bill.
Research from consumer rights group Which? suggests if people’s broadband bills increase by 14 per cent this year, customers will be forced to pay £87 more annually in a best-case scenario and as much as £113 if they are with BT.
Over the past couple of years, broadband providers have slowly started rolling out low-cost, discounted social tariffs aimed at those on low incomes, helping them stay connected for less. Vodafone is one of the latest companies to do so, and, late last year, it launched the cheapest social tariff currently available in the UK.
Vodafone Essentials costs just £12 a month, and provides download speeds of up to 38Mbps. Here’s everything you need to know about the new Vodafone Essentials broadband social tariff, including eligibility requirements.
What is Vodafone Essentials?
Vodafone Essentials is the network provider’s first social tariff broadband plan for customers on eligible state benefits, seeing it join the likes of Sky, BT and Virgin Media.
Vodafone Essentials costs just £12 per month for 12 months. You get download speeds of up to 38Mbps, making it the cheapest and fastest social broadband tariff out of all the broadband companies currently providing one.
To put that into perspective, Virgin Media Essential broadband costs £12.50 per month, but it comes with abysmal download speeds of up to 15Mbps. Sky Broadband Basics costs £20 per month and you get download speeds of up to 36Mbps. After Vodafone, BT has the next best social tariff plan – the company is charging £15 per month and you get download speeds of up to 36Mbps.
Vodafone Essentials has no setup fee, no early termination fee and once your contract is up, you’ll still pay just £12 per month, as long as you continue to meet the eligibility requirements. That means, yes, it won’t be affected by the CPI increase.
Who is eligible for Vodafone Essentials?
Both new and existing Vodafone customers are eligible for Vodafone Essentials. You need to be receiving one of the following state benefits to sign up for the new social tariff:
- Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- Universal Credit
Current Vodafone customers on either Fibre 1 or Fibre 2 (previously known as Superfast 1 and Superfast 2), can switch to Vodafone Essentials for free, though Vodafone says those on a pro broadband plan may be charged to leave their plan early.
How to sign up for Vodafone Essentials
You can sign up for Vodafone Essentials Broadband by filling out a form on Vodafone’s website. Once you’ve filled that out, Vodafone will give you a call to confirm your eligibility and process your order. This should take about a week.
Find the best Vodafone broadband offers with Independent Advisor