Brits claiming support from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) could save £200 a year on their broadband by signing up to a social tariff.

Social tariffs are special discounted deals available for certain low-income customers. They are much cheaper than standard tariffs, starting at around £12 a month.

Research by the telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has shown that an estimated 4.2 million households in the UK are eligible. To be eligible for a social tariff you usually need to be claiming a qualifying benefit which includes Universal Credit, Pension Credit or an equivalent legacy benefit.

Those claiming these benefits can contact their broadband provider to see if they offer a social tariff and if they are eligible. As well as this, a new system was put in place last year that makes it quicker for broadband providers to check eligibility by accessing a special DWP IT system - with the claimant's permission.

The new system also removes the need for customers to prove their entitlement to broadband providers each month. The DWP said it provided "minimum" information to the broadband provider and shares nothing other than confirmation that the person is entitled to one of the qualifying benefits at the time of contact. If you are moving from your current tariff to a social one, you also won't face any exit fees.

The providers listed below are taken from the latest guidance on social tariff broadband packages from Ofcom. Here is a full list of the social tariffs offered by providers in the UK as of writing:

  • 4th Utility Social Tariff - £13.99 a month (30mbps)

  • BT Home Essentials - £15 (36Mbps)

  • BT Home Essentials - £20 (67Mbps)

  • Community Fibre - £12.50 (20Mbps)

  • Connect Fibre Basic Essentials - £20 (50Bmps)

  • Country Connect Social Tariff - £15 (50Mbps)

  • County Broadband Essential Broadband Tariff - £15 (15Mbps)

  • EE Basics - £12 (25 Mbps)

  • G.Network Essential Fibre- £15 (50Mbps)

  • Grayshott Gigabit Connect - £19 (100 Mbps)

  • Hey!Broadband Everyday Fibre - £16 (100 Mbps)

  • Hyperoptic Fair Fibre - £15 (50Mbps)

  • Hyperoptic Fair Fibre - £20 (150Mbps)

  • KCOM Full Fibre Flex - £14.99 (30Mbps)

  • Lightning Fibre - £15 (50Mbps)

  • Lothian Broadband Social Tariff - £19.99 (100Mbps)

  • NOW Basics - £20 (36Mbps)

  • Quickline Social Tariff - £16.50 (100Mbps)

  • RunFibre social tariff - £20 (100Mbps)

  • Shell Essentials Fast Broadband - £15 (11Mbps)

  • Shell Essentials Fibre Broadband\ - £20 (38Mbps)

  • Sky Basics - £20 (36Mbps)

  • SMARTY Social Tariff - £12.50 (15Mbps)

  • TalkTalk - FREE for six months (38Mbps)

  • Truespeed - £20 (30Mbps)

  • Virgin Media Essential - £12.50 (15Mbps)

  • Virgin Media Essential - £20 (54Mbps)

  • Vodafone Essentials - £12 (38Mbps)

  • Vodafone Essentials - £20 (67Mbps)

  • VOXI For Now - £10 a month - (5G where available)

  • Wildanet Helping Hand Social Tariff* - £20 (30-100Mbps)

  • WightFibre Essential Broadband - £16.50 (100Mbps)

  • YouFibre Social Tariff - £15 a month (50Mbps)

The eligibility criteria do vary between the different companies and you can find out what it is on their website - some offers are also only available in certain areas. Last year the Government encouraged operators to raise awareness of lower-cost social tariffs to customers amid the cost of living crisis.