'My sister doesn't have internet or a smartphone - how can she get online when she's on benefits?'

6 days ago 20

Every week, our Money blog squad answers your fiscal problems oregon user disputes - you tin email yours to moneyblog@sky.uk.

Today's occupation is...

My sister would similar to get broadband/WiFi wherever she lives. She is 69 and receives a authorities pension, but has nary different signifier of income. She besides gets lodging benefit, soon to beryllium transferred to cosmopolitan recognition - but is conscionable implicit the magnitude to person pension credit. She doesn't person a landline, lone an analogue mobile phone. She has a Gmail address. Is she eligible for a societal tariff to alteration her to person cheaper broadband access? If not, are you alert of immoderate companies that supply cheaper broadband deals? Any advice/help would beryllium astir useful.
Ann Bettles

Money blog exertion Jimmy Rice tackles this one...

Thanks for your email, Ann - determination are a fewer routes to get assistance for your sister.

As she'll soon beryllium connected cosmopolitan credit, she volition beryllium eligible for societal tariffs with astir broadband providers. They mightiness beryllium called "essential" oregon "basic" plans and they're disposable to anyone connected cosmopolitan credit, pension credit, jobseeker's allowance and a fewer different benefits.

I've had a look, and the cheapest disposable close present are for £12.50 a period with Virgin Media and Community Fibre.

The 15Mbps fibre Virgin woody comes with escaped set-up and - this is important - it would lone necktie her successful for a rolling 30-day period.

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The Community Fibre woody besides has escaped set-up and has a overmuch amended velocity of 35 Mbit/s - ample for keeping successful interaction with household and friends, and streaming TV shows - but would necktie your sister successful for 12 months.

You tin find a afloat database of the providers that person societal tariffs via Ofcom here. It would conscionable beryllium a lawsuit of calling - though without existent entree to the internet, your sister whitethorn request your assistance to find interaction numbers.

You notation your sister has an analogue phone. If astatine immoderate constituent she were to get a smartphone, she mightiness beryllium capable to entree escaped information via the National Databank. Find retired much details here.

Several telephone providers besides connection societal tariffs - O2's costs £10 a period and EE's is disposable for £12 a month.

Both would supply an alternate way to net entree - though I admit your sister whitethorn not beryllium successful a presumption to spend either.

The different way worthy investigating is simply a section integer inclusion hub.

The National Digital Inclusion Network, tally by Good Things Foundation, is made up of 7,300 organisations crossed the UK that connection entree to the net for escaped to those who are digitally excluded.

Often these organisations besides connection escaped integer skills sessions oregon adjacent devices, truthful it's good worthy checking out.

Finally, successful your email you told america your sister didn't person a landline. It's worthy knowing that BT and KCOM supply cheaper voice-only landline tariffs to eligible households, truthful you could look into that.

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