BT Home Essentials - Cheap Broadband for People on Benefits

July 6, 2022
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BT Home Essentials – Cheap Broadband for People on Benefits

BT is offering fibre broadband at less than half price for UK households receiving mean-tested benefits. More than 4 million households have already applied for the BT Home Essential Packages introduced in June 2022.

Subscribers will pay £15 a month for speeds of up to 36Mbps. Families will also have to pay a £9.99 postage fee. Once they pay the postage fee, BT will deliver its Smart Hub Router. BT says that their new package will save UK households £240 a year compared to other deals.

Marc Allera, BT Consumer Division CEO said…

Our Home Essential packages will be available at half price of our standard package. This is because fast and reliable connectivity is vital for accessing online services and keeping in touch with loved ones.

The average fibre deal costs about £25 a month and £32.99 for subscribers not on universal credit. This means the cost of BT high-speed internet for other customers not on universal credit ranges between £300 to £400 per year.

So, the new BT Home Essentials package is a genuinely good deal and the cheapest option for a broadband and landline package.

Who Is Eligible for the BT Home Essentials Package?

The BT Home Essentials package is available to the following people on:

Jobseeker’s Allowance
Universal Credit
Employment and Support Allowance
Pension Credit/Guarantee Credit
Income Support

You must be receiving an income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance to subscribe to BT’s Home Essentials package. If you’re receiving contribution-based JSA, you do not qualify for the package. If you receive both contribution and income-based JSA, your income-based JSA must be higher to qualify.

To qualify for the Home Essentials package, you must also be receiving an Employment and Support allowance. If you’re on contribution-based only ESA, you do not qualify for the Home Essentials package.

There are eligibility checks and you must pass them all. The checks involve providing BT with your personal information such as:

Surname or last name
Date of birth
National Insurance number

The company will use this information to check your eligibility for Home Essentials. If you’re already a subscriber using BT Broadband and you’re eligible, you can switch to the BT Home Essential package right away. In fact, you can do this without any additional costs.

What Does the BT Home Essentials Include?

You and your family will enjoy great connection and high internet speeds with BT’s Smart Hub. This package offers unlimited broadband which means there are no download limits or data caps. You can browse, stream, download and do as much as you like online.

Security is another benefit Home Essentials customers will enjoy. BT has more than 3,000 security experts working 24/7 to protect you and your family from cyber attacks. This does not mean that you should use weak passwords for your online accounts such as banking, online stores, emails and others. Always use an alphanumeric password with more than 12 characters.

How do I apply for BT Home Essentials?

Head to the BT Home Essentials web page. Then, scroll towards the bottom of the web page and you should see these two buttons “ Yes’ I’m a BT Customer” or “ No, I’m new to BT.” Choose one, enter your postcode then click the “Check your address” button.

Next, you’ll pick a plan and then go into BT’s checkout. Part of the checkout process is the eligibility check. You’ll need to provide your last name, date of birth and National insurance number.

BT will check these details with the Department for Work and Pensions to see if you’re receiving one of the qualifying benefits. If eligible, you’ll receive an instant response and proceed to complete your Home Essentials order.

You can pay your Home Essential bill using one of the following payment methods:

Direct Debit
At a PayPoint
Bank Transfer
Phone (debit or credit card)
Online (credit or debit card)

BT will also carry out a credit check. If you’ve a low credit score, you’ll have to pay a security deposit. Before you complete your order, BT will let you know how much to pay as a security deposit. If you’re an existing customer, BT will not carry out a credit check.

Once you qualify, you’ll get Home Essentials for a year even when you come off the benefits. After a year, BT will run another eligibility check to know if you still qualify. If you do, BT will keep you on the same plan.

Virgin Media Universal Credit Broadband…

Not keen on BT Home Essentials? well In 2020, Virgin Media launched its Essential broadband package that offers affordable internet. The Essential Broadband service from Virgin Media has a fixed price of £15 a month and a speed of 15Mbps. The plan carries no fixed-term contract and price changes when you’re receiving Universal credit. To apply for the plan, visit the Virgin Media Essential broadband web page.