A BIG broadband provider has made a major change for households on Universal Credit - and it could save them £60 a year.
Vodafone has launched a new social tariff for customers - and it offers higher internet speeds than the existing one.
The Fibre 2 Essentials bundle is available to households on certain benefits including Universal Credit and Pension Credit.
The full list of benefits qualifying you for the deal is:
- Universal Credit
- Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Pension Credit
- Employment Support Allowance
- Income Support
- Reduced Earnings Allowance
- Personal Independence Payments
- Disability Allowance
Customers opting for the tariff will be able to get speeds of up to 73Mbps for £20 a month.
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Vodafone's standard Fibre 2 package costs £25 a month, so those opting for the social tariff will save themselves £5 a month and £60 a year.
The provider's existing social tariff - Fibre 1 Essentials - is £12 a month, but offers much slower speeds of 38Mbps.
The move comes after Which? shared concerns people eligible for social tariffs weren't taking them up because companies were offering packages with too slow broadband speeds.
Director of policy and advocacy at the consumer group Rocio Concha said: "We’re pleased that Vodafone has responded with this new faster offering following Which?’s campaigning in this area.
“Which? research has found worries about the speed of social tariffs can be a barrier to take-up.
"A range of social tariff options ensures eligible consumers can choose the right connection for their household's needs."
What is a social tariff and how do I sign up?
Social tariffs are broadband and mobile phone packages available to people on certain benefits.
They work in the same way as normal tariffs except at a lower price.
Applying for a social tariff changes depending on which provider you are choosing.
Firms offer different packages as well, so it's worth shopping around for the best deal.
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You can use price comparison sites such as moneysupermarket.com or Uswitch, for example.
Ofcom, the regulator, has a list of companies offering social tariffs and their prices on its website too.
How does Vodafone's deal compare?
Vodafone's Fibre 2 Essentials package comes with no upfront fees, no mid-contract price rises and no early termination fees.
It also offers speeds of up to 73 Mbps.
We had a look on Ofcom's website to see how the package compares to other similar deals on the market.
Remember though, it's hard to exactly compare deals, as they often offer different broadband speeds.
That said, RunFibre is offering a social tariff for £20 a month and it comes with 100Mbps, so the same price as Vodafone's Fibre 2 Essentials package but with higher speeds.
It is only available to households in South Gloucestershire, England, though.
Meanwhile, Hey! is offering a social tariff for £17 a month with 100Mbps. This one is only for households in South East England though.
BT's Home Essentials 2 package is £20 a month, but only offers speeds of 67 Mbps.
And Sky's Broadband Basics bundle costs £20 a month, but only offers speeds of 36 Mbps.
Virgin Media has its Essential Broadband Plus package for £20 a month - that offers speeds of around 54Mbps.
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