MSE explained there are deals available including 145Mb broadband for £21 a month and social tariffs for those on lower incomes
Martin Lewis’ MoneySavingExpert.com (MSE) team has explained how to get four times the average broadband speed for half the cost.
In the latest weekly MSE newsletter, a warning was issued to the millions of households that are currently out of contract with their broadband provider, and are likely paying more than they should be for internet.
MSE explained there are deals available including 145Mb broadband for £21 a month and social tariffs for those on lower incomes. The best way to secure a new deal is by doing a quick comparison online.
MSE said: “There’s a host of deals almost as hot as the weather. As usual, the cheapest aren’t direct from providers, but via short-lived comparison site sign-up incentives when firms want to buy in more customers.”
The top flagged broadband deal listed by MSE is from Plusnet, which includes speeds of 145Mb. This costs £21 a month, rising to £25 in April 2027 then £29 from April 2028.
There is also additional £120 incentive which is issued to new customers on prepaid Mastercard, which is emailed after activation.
MSE has also listed a deal from Sky where you can get 900Mb broadband for £31 a month. This is likely to rise every April, although Sky has not confirmed this.
The newbie perk with this is a £230 prepaid Mastercard, which is emailed within four months of your deal starting.
Vodafone is also listed by MSE in its newsletter. It costs £22 a month for a 150Mb broadband package, rising to £25.50 from April 2027 and £29 from April 2028.
Or there is a 910Mb package for £25 a month, rising to £28.50 from April 2027 and £32 from April 2028. The incentive is a £145 voucher for 150Mb or £155 voucher for 910Mb for Amazon, Tesco, Sainsbury’s or M&S.
MSE said the typical out-of-contract broadband cost for BT is £70 a month for 67Mb, £43 for 30Mb at Sky and £54 for 132Mb at Virgin.
How to save money on broadband
Before you start comparing prices elsewhere, check your broadband speed.
Once you’ve got a good idea of the speed you need, use a comparison website to find the cheapest deals in your area.
Once you’ve compared prices online, you can then either switch to a new provide if you’ve found a cheaper deal, or go back to your existing provider and try to haggle them down.
Explain to them that you’ve found a better price elsewhere and ask them if they can beat it. Being polite is always best when trying to negotiate a better deal.
If they cannot give you a cheaper price, then consider ditching and switching.
If you claim benefits, check if you are eligible for a cheaper social tariff, with prices starting from £12 a month for broadband and £10 for mobile.
Around 5.3 million UK households are eligible for the cheaper tariff, research by Broadband Genie found, but around 4.8 million aren’t currently claiming it.
