Social tariffs - how much could you save?
We're seeing huge numbers of people struggling with the every-day costs of living, many of whom simply don't know that social tariffs exist. Read on to see if you can save!
Can I save money with social tariffs?
Social tariffs save people money on their essential bills for things such as energy, water and internet. The problem is that suppliers often don’t publicise these schemes very well or proactively tell their eligible customers about them.
Research from Citizens Advice shows that there is around £1.9 billion sitting unclaimed in social tariffs across water and broadband, meaning that a low income household could be missing out on an average saving of at least £350 every year.
The help available:
Internet, mobile and phone bills The Ofcom website lists the providers that offer social tariffs for internet, mobile or phone bills. Some providers call these “essential” or “basic” broadband packages. These tariffs are available to people on certain benefits. The person receiving the benefit needs to be the main person named on the contract.
How to apply First, check if your current provider offers a social tariff. You can apply for most of these online or call your provider and ask to switch. If your provider doesn’t offer a social tariff, you can move to one that does. You might have to get permission from your provider if you want to leave your contract early and you may also have to pay a fee. You should tell them if you're struggling financially as they may waive the penalty.
Finally, if you have a Jobcentre Plus work coach, you could potentially get free internet for 6 months - ask your work coach if you’re eligible.
Water bills All water companies offer some kind of bill reduction scheme for consumers struggling with their water bill and each company has their own set of criteria. There is more information on our previous blog post about the tariffs and schemes available from Southern Water. The CCW website has information about the social tariffs offered by other water companies too.
Energy The Warm Home Discount is a statutory scheme to support those struggling with their energy costs. You don’t need to apply for the Warm Home Discount scheme - payments to eligible households are automatic. However, you will only get the discount if your provider is part of the scheme. You can check which suppliers are part of the scheme here.
The Cold Weather Payment should also happen automatically if the weather is very cold and you are in receipt of certain benefits. There’s more information about this on the government website.
Finally, the Winter Fuel Payment is available to people who have reached state pension age and claim certain benefits. If you’re eligible then you should get a letter in October or November each year saying how much you will get and you should be paid automatically in November or December. However, if you don’t get a letter by early December and you believe you’re eligible then you should contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre.
If you require any further information about the above, or need help making online applications, then check out our Get Advice page for details of how to get in touch.