Which? reveals best broadband, TV and mobile deals

Brits who switched providers reported saving an average of £40 on mobile bills. Photo: PA

Brits who “make a nuisance of themselves” by haggling for cheaper mobile and broadband deals could be saving more than £100 (£135) a year, while those willing to switch to a different provider could save more than £200 amid high inflation.

This comes as BT (BT-A.L) said it will raise broadband and telephone prices by more than 9%. The increase means most of its 14 million customers will pay an extra £3.50 a month, or £42 annually, on average for phone and broadband bills from the end of March.

Consumer group Which? surveyed 5,000 customers and found 46% negotiated with their existing provider when their broadband, TV or mobile contract ended in order to get a better deal. These people reported saving an average £85 on broadband, £128 on broadband and TV and £35 on mobile bills.

One in five people (19%) switched to a different provider, with the vast majority saying they did so because they felt they were paying too much.

Read more: UK inflation hits 30-year high as cost of living squeeze looms

Those who switched reported saving an average £35 on broadband, £65 on broadband with TV packages and £40 on mobile bills.

“With the cost of living soaring, it’s even more important to cut costs where you can,” said Lisa Barber, Which? home products and services editor.

She said those satisfied with their current TV, broadband and mobile providers should not be afraid to haggle when your contract ends “as it is easier than you might think and you could save a lot of money.”

“If you are not happy with your provider or are looking to avoid a costly price hike, or your service is just not good enough, shop around and consider switching.”

Which? found that customers who switched away from a large provider could save even more – those who left Virgin Media reported saving over £200 a year and above-average savings were also made by those who left Sky (£180), Talk Talk (£90) and BT (£80), despite the average savings for switchers amounting to £65 a year across all providers.

Read more: BT raises prices by £42 amid cost of living crisis

Customers who left Virgin Media broadband packages saved over £190 a year, while those who left BT reported a saving of almost £160 a year and those who left Sky saved roughly £100.

When it came to mobile services, customers who switched away from Vodafone, Three and O2 said they saved up to £100 a year.

EE was the only large mobile provider whose customers were able to make a better saving from haggling, with an average £75 discount over the course of the year compared to the £50 saving for those who chose to leave and change provider.

One in five (22%) people did nothing when their contract ended. These people are the customers most at risk of overpaying on their bills.

Many providers have said they will be raising their prices this spring – some by more than 9% due to inflation. These increases are baked into customer contracts, and will leave many with no choice but to pay them or face costly fees to leave their provider mid-contract, said Which?.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics show that inflation has jumped to the highest level in 30 years, reaching 5.4%, as the pandemic continues to take a toll on the economy.

Watch: What is inflation and why is it important?