Nearly half of low-income retirees struggle to pay broadband bills

Nearly half of low-income pensioners in England have struggled to keep up with their broadband bill in the past six months, according to new figures.

Research from the Independent Age organization for seniors shows the challenges retirees and low-income earners face when it comes to staying online.

One in five said they found their internet bill a “constant struggle” and 28 percent said they struggled from time to time.

Independent Age says the findings raise fears that older people in financial difficulty will become even more isolated.

They may also face additional charges if they are forced to cut off their internet access.

For example, they can’t get information about financial aid they’re entitled to, or they can miss out on savings on other accounts because they can’t search for the best deals.

The survey also found that nearly one in three elderly people with financial problems fear they will not be able to pay their broadband bill for the next six months.

In addition, 30 percent indicate that they have to cut back ‘a lot’ or ‘reasonably’ on their internet, telephone or TV subscriptions.

Nearly one in ten say they have already canceled broadband and telephone services in an effort to save money.

Maggie, 74, from Manchester is one of those affected. She says: ‘It is increasingly accepted that we can all do everything online now, but due to my financial situation I have had to cancel my telephone and internet contracts.

“So now if I want to do something that involves being on the Internet, I have to find a library that’s open at certain times.

“I don’t know what happened in other parts of the country, but we used to have access to Wi-Fi on Greater Manchester’s buses and trams.

“That disappeared during Covid. I assume it was taken out to save costs because people weren’t traveling on the buses, but they never put it back.

“And that doesn’t just affect older people who don’t have Wi-Fi — it also affects young families trying to do things on the go because they can’t afford to pay for the subscription at home.”

Call for more social broadband rates

It comes as Ofcom has called on providers to launch more social tariffs for low-income customers.

Social rates are cheaper broadband and phone packages for people who claim Universal Credit, Pension Credit and some other benefits.

They are delivered in the same way as normal packages, only at a lower price.

However, current usage is low, with only 5.1 percent of eligible households using it. Independent Age says eligible elderly people will be left without broadband as a result.

Ofcom estimates that 8.1 million households are struggling to afford broadband, while only 4.2 million are eligible for social tariffs.

The poorest households spend 4.7 percent of their disposable income on broadband, which is 3.5 times more than a middle-income household.

Independent Age also calls on broadband providers to promote their social tariffs more, so that elderly people who are struggling financially know that there is support for their internet costs.

The charity believes the government has a role to play in promoting social rates as part of the support available during the cost of living crisis.

Several of the major providers offer social rates, including BT, EE, Sky, Virgin Media and Vodafone. There are 30 social rates available as per Ofcom’s list.

If you think you qualify for a social rate, you should check with your broadband provider to see if they offer one and ask if you can go there.

You don’t have to wait for your current contract to expire, and if they don’t offer one, they should allow you to switch to one that does without an exit fee.

However, it’s worth checking out the cheapest non-social broadband rates on offer as well, as they could still be cheaper depending on the spec you need.

Some mobile phone providers also offer social tariffs.

If you are not eligible for a social rate but are struggling with your broadband or mobile costs, please contact your provider directly, they may be able to help you further.

If you no longer have a broadband subscription, you can also save money by switching to another supplier.