PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Broadband: Prices (28 January 2021)

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that broadband remains affordable to those on (a) universal credit and (b) other low-income benefits.

Asked by:
Alex Davies-Jones (Labour)

The Government has worked closely with industry throughout the pandemic and agreed a set of commitments with the UK’s major broadband and mobile operators to support vulnerable consumers during the Covid-19 period. Providers committed to working with customers who are finding it difficult to pay their bill as a result of Covid-19 to ensure that they are treated fairly and appropriately supported. Providers also committed to removing fixed broadband data caps, in addition to providing new and generous landline and mobile offers, such as free or low cost mobile data boosts.

There are already social tariffs available which offer low cost landline and broadband services for those on certain means-tested benefits. However, the Government is now encouraging all fixed broadband providers to introduce a social tariff and we will monitor the situation closely.

Answered by:
Matt Warman (Conservative)
3 February 2021