Mid-contract broadband and mobile price rises: what the rules now say
A plain-English guide to the UK rules on mid-contract broadband, mobile and pay TV price rises.
Broadband and mobile contracts used to hide a guessing game in the small print. You could sign up at one monthly price, then discover later that your bill would rise by inflation plus a few extra percentage points. The rules have changed, but that does not mean every mid-contract price rise has disappeared.
The Short Version
Key Takeaways
- New and renewed broadband, mobile and pay TV contracts signed from 17 January 2025 cannot use inflation-linked or percentage-based rises for the main monthly price.
- If a provider builds in a rise, it must show the exact pounds and pence amount and the date before you sign up.
- Older contracts may still contain inflation-linked terms, so check when you agreed your deal.
- If a rise was not properly specified, or the provider goes beyond what you agreed, you may be able to leave without an early exit fee.
What Changed In January 2025
Ofcom’s rule change came into force on 17 January 2025. From that date, providers could no longer sign customers up to new or renewed contracts where the main monthly price rises by an unknown future inflation figure, or by a percentage.
That matters because the old wording was hard to compare. A contract might say your bill would rise each April by CPI plus 3.9 percent. At the point of sale, you did not know what CPI would be, so you could not know the true cost of the deal.
The new rule does not force bills to stay flat. It forces clarity. If a provider wants to increase the main monthly price during the minimum term, it has to say the exact cash increase, in pounds and pence, and when that increase will happen.
What Providers Can Still Do
Ofcom did not ban every mid-contract price rise. It banned uncertain inflation-linked and percentage-based terms in new and renewed contracts. Providers can still include annual increases if they spell them out clearly before you agree.
They can also sell contracts with no planned in-contract rise at all. Some deals use fixed prices for the minimum term. Others use a fixed pounds and pence rise every March or April. Both approaches can be allowed if the wording is clear and visible at sign-up.
If a provider wants to increase the main monthly price but your contract did not say exactly how much that rise would be, Ofcom says you should be given notice and the right to leave without penalty. The same applies if the provider increases your price by more than the amount you agreed.
Why A Fixed Rise Can Still Be Expensive
A fixed cash rise is easier to understand, but it can hit cheaper plans harder as a percentage of the monthly bill.
Ofcom’s 2026 pricing and consumer engagement report found that in-contract price rises announced for 2026 ranged from £1.80 to £2.50 a month for mobile services, and from £2 to £4 a month for fixed broadband. A £3 rise on a £25 broadband plan is a 12 percent increase. The same £3 rise on a £60 plan is 5 percent.
That does not mean the cheaper plan is automatically worse. The total cost may still be lower. It does mean you should compare the full contract cost, not just the month-one price. This is similar to the way small details can change the real cost of technology ownership. A phone that looks cheap can become expensive if it stops receiving updates sooner than expected, which is why our guide to end of support dates for old devices is worth reading alongside any contract decision that includes new hardware.
How To Check Your Own Contract
Start with the date you signed or renewed. If it was before 17 January 2025, the contract may still include an inflation-linked price rise. If it was on or after that date, the main monthly price rise should not be linked to inflation or expressed as a percentage.
Next, find the contract summary. Look for wording about the main monthly subscription price, annual price changes and the date of any increase. You are looking for a clear cash figure, such as £2.50 a month, not a formula that depends on CPI, RPI or another percentage.
Then check what the rise applies to. A broadband bundle might include broadband, landline, TV add-ons and discounts. A mobile deal might separate airtime from a device payment. If old logins or forgotten email addresses are getting in the way, our guide to cleaning up old online accounts is a useful admin reset before renewal season.
When You Can Switch Or Push Back
If you are out of contract, you can usually switch, recontract or negotiate without paying an early exit fee. Providers must send end-of-contract notifications, but many people still roll on to higher prices because they miss the email or put the job off.
If you are still inside the minimum term, your rights depend on what the contract said. A clearly disclosed £3 annual rise that you accepted at sign-up will normally be part of the deal. A rise that was not specified, or a rise above the specified amount, is different. Ofcom says providers should give 30 days’ notice before changes that are not to your benefit, and customers may be able to leave without penalty where the price goes beyond what was agreed.
If you think the rise breaks the contract summary, complain to the provider first. Keep the complaint factual: the date you signed, the price rise wording you were shown, the rise now being applied and the outcome you want. If money is tight, also check whether you qualify for a social tariff. Ofcom says social tariffs do not have in-contract price rises or exit fees.
A Worked Example
Imagine two broadband deals with 24-month terms.
Deal A starts at £27 a month and rises by £4 a month after the first April. Deal B starts at £30 a month and has no in-contract rise. If Deal A stays at £27 for 12 months and £31 for 12 months, the service cost is £696 over two years. Deal B costs £720. Deal A is still cheaper, even though the rise feels annoying.
Now change the numbers. Deal A starts at £25, rises by £4 after six months, and has a £30 set-up fee. Deal B starts at £28, has no rise and no set-up fee. Deal A totals £702. Deal B costs £672. The cheaper headline price loses once you include the timing and fees.
What This Means For You
If you are choosing a broadband or mobile deal in the UK, treat the advertised monthly price as the starting point, not the answer. The contract summary should tell you whether the price changes, how much it changes by and when.
For a new or renewed contract, avoid any deal that still explains the main monthly price rise using inflation or a percentage. That wording should no longer be used for consumer contracts covered by the 17 January 2025 rule. Ask the provider to clarify before signing.
For an older contract, do not assume you can leave just because the bill has gone up. Check whether the rise was already part of the agreement. If it was not clearly specified, or the amount is higher than agreed, you have a stronger basis to complain, switch or ask for a penalty-free exit.
In Plain English
Mid-contract price rises are not gone. The guessing game is supposed to be gone.
For new and renewed deals, your provider should tell you the exact cash rise before you sign. If the price can change but the contract does not say clearly by how much, you may have the right to walk away when the rise lands.
Check the full cost, keep the contract summary and do not judge a deal by the first monthly price alone.