BT broadband customers face £3 fee to receive paper bills

BT BROADBAND customers will have to pay £3 a month for paper bills from September 16. It means that, in total, customers will have to pay £36 a year for the service.

Previously the telecoms giant charged customers £2.50 or £30 a year. Consumer experts say that while the increase is not huge, it is the principle of yet again penalising elderly and vulnerable customers who are not comfortable using the internet. Money Mail readers say it is a form of discrimination.

One BT customer, Raymond Roberts, 84, says: ‘I want to receive a paper statement, and surely have the right to this without being penalised. This is discrimination.’

BT says the extra charge will only apply to broadband customers with itself or another provider. This means customers who have only a landline will be able to continue receiving paper bills for free.

BT is not the only firm to charge for paper bills but its fees are the highest.

TalkTalk charges £2 per month, the Post Office £1.50 and First Utility £1.

Plusnet does not charge customers who choose to receive their bills through the post. A BT spokesperson says: ‘Fewer and fewer of our customers are asking for paper bills, and we are also trying to reduce the impact of paper billing on the environment. The price of a paper bill is increasing. However, customers can easily avoid this charge by switching to paper-free billing.’