Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Wales Online
Wales Online
Ryan O'Neill

Martin Lewis says millions of people are missing out on discounts to their bills

Martin Lewis has warned millions of people could be missing out on a discount off their broadband bills. The founder of MoneySavingExpert said around four million people could be missing out on cheaper tariffs because they don't know they are eligible.

Speaking on Good Morning Britain on Wednesday, Mr Lewis explained there were four million people missing out on 'social tariffs', which are long-term discounts on broadband for some benefit claimants.

"Only 4% of eligible people get them," he said of the tariffs. "If you're on universal credit, other equivalent benefits or pension credit, check out whether your provider has a social tariff. It could slash the cost of your broadband, and you get it long-term cheap." To get all the latest money-saving news straight to your inbox sign up here.

Read more: National Minimum Wage: How much extra you will get when wages increase on April 1

According to Ofcom, many major suppliers offer social tariffs on broadband including NOW (£20 a month), Sky (£20 a month) and Virgin Media (£12.50 a month), with the criteria and qualifying benefits varying slightly depending on the provider. You can view a full list of the current tariffs, providers and criteria here.

Mr Lewis said people were also missing out on cheaper phone deals, and recommended an easy way to check if you're eligible for a cheaper deal.

"At the moment mobile prices are going up on average 17%, even if you're mid-contract. Text 'INFO' to 85075 on your current phone - it doesn't work for everyone, but it's free - and it will tell you if you're out of contract and free to switch."

Mr Lewis said people should look on comparison websites and that there were some great cheap deals available, including 5GB of data for £5 a month, £100GB and unlimited calls and texts for about £10 a month. "Then either switch, or haggle with your existing provider if you're out of contract," he added.

Read next:

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.