Who is eligible and how to apply for KCOM social tariff
FULL FLEX PACKAGE IS BEING CUT BY 25 PER CENT FROM JUNE 1
HULL-BASED broadband provider KCOM has announced plans to cut its broadband social tariff rate by 25 per cent and that in future, applications for the system would be online to speed up the process.
The move was welcomed by the government’s Digital Secretary Nadine Dorries as “fantastic to see KCOM cutting prices and helping families switch and save more quickly”.
Tim Shaw, KCOM chief executive, said: “With so many people struggling with the cost of living right now we’re determined to help our customers keep control of their household budgets.”
What is a broadband social tariff?
A broadband social tariff can help people struggling to afford their broadband or mobile service, an increasingly vital utility. Customers on such tariffs typically pay between £10 and £20 a month for their broadband.
Although the cheaper broadband rates are still limited in availability, KCOM have a wider list of criteria to be eligible. Not all broadband providers offer the social tariffs currently. The government’s position so far has been to encourage broadband providers’ voluntary uptake of creating social tariffs and promotion of the scheme.
It has had the power since December 2020 to direct Ofcom to make a company introduce a social tariff, but has not used this power yet.
In a letter to broadband suppliers in April, digital secretary Nadine Dorries noted only one to two per cent of Universal Credit claimants take up the social tariffs.
Ofcom reported in February that 84 per cent of those on benefits were simply unaware of packages available.
Who is eligible for KCOM’S social tariff?
The service is designed for residential customers in receipt of certain benefits.
KCOM’S social tariffs, known as Flex packages are available for those on: Income Support
Pension Credit
Job Seekers Allowance
Housing Benefit
Personal Independence Payment Attendance Allowance
Universal Credit, with zero earnings from employment or self-employment during the Universal Credit assessment
■ Employment and Support Allowance (EAS) (Income related)
Individuals who are named persons on a bill can also be eligible if they are:
■ Care Home residents and Lifeline customers who are referred to us via Social Services
■ Care Leavers
■ Individuals on the Government’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) Shielded Patients List until such time as Coronavirus no longer requires these individuals to practice social shielding.
It is essential to have documenting evidence. Flex packages cannot be provided by KCOM if:
■ There’s no evidence of eligibility criteria or they are not the person named on the bill
■ The applicant already has a telephone service with another supplier
■ The applicant has had more than one line at the same or different premises (unless you have a second line because you’re responsible for paying the telephone bill for a relative)
■ The applicant’s line is an ISDN line
■ The applicant’s line is used exclusively in connection with a burglar alarm or other monitoring services
■ The applicant has had service ceased and reprovided in the past three months
■ The service has been restricted because money is already owed
How to apply:
The system to apply has moved online, with KCOM stating that decisions over eligibility of applications can now be determined and fed back to applicants within minutes, rather than weeks previously.
After checking the eligibility criteria, applicants must fill out on the initial application form.
If accepted, the default way to pay the social tariffs is by direct debit, but other methods are accepted.
■■For more detail about KCOM’S social tariffs and how to apply, visit www. kcom.com/home/packages/apply-fora-flex-package