It might be April 1st, but what millions of UK homes are facing today is no joke. Almost all UK Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are hiking prices today, with some customers facing increases of £4 per month or more than £40 per year. Firms such as Sky, BT, EE and Virgin Media have all confirmed that bills will go up from today. Unlike previous years when hikes were based on a percentage, in 2026, everyone gets hit by the same amount.

That means someone who is currently paying £20 per month will see their bill go up by the same amount as a customer with a £40 per month bill.

Although providers say they need to increase things to cover rising costs, these latest hikes have faced criticism.

Uswitch says that annual hikes of £4 a month, despite being more transparent, are out of step with what many households can afford.

“A quarter (24%) of broadband customers claim that a £4 monthly price increase is unmanageable, with 17% saying that they feel exploited by the current rates,” Uswucth said.

“While these are reasonable cost drivers, the recent increases in price rise rates are evidently far above the current rate of inflation, which is used to depict the general rise in costs that customers are seeing overall.”

So what can you do about it?

There are some very simple rules to follow if you want to cut the cost of your broadband, and making a few quick changes can help reduce bill shock.

Firstly, now is a good time to check your contract and see if you are free to move. Most ISPs will offer lower rates to new customers and handle the switching process.

It’s also a good idea to check out the providers in your street, as smaller networks are popping up all over the UK, with most offering fast speeds at much lower prices than more established firms.

For example, Community Fibre is currently offering 200Mbps broadband for just £19 per month and is also promising no hikes until 2027.

Here are some current deals if you switch.

SKY – 150Mbps for £24 per month
SEE THE SKY DEAL HERE

VIRGIN MEDIA – 500Mbps for £25.99 per month
SEE THE VIRGIN DEAL HERE

COMMUNITY FIBRE – 200Mbps for £19 per month
SEE THE COMMUNITY FIBRE DEAL HERE

The next step is to check what speeds you really need, as the faster the download speed, the more you will pay. As a quick guide, a home with two people who simply browse the web, watch Netflix in HD and stream music should find speeds of around 75Mbps are perfectly adequate.

More busy homes that are downloading games, working, streaming in 4K and have lots of connected devices should look at having speeds in excess of 250Mbps.

Broadband is a bit like a road; the more traffic on it, the slower it gets. So make sure your “road” is big enough to cope with your digital needs.

Finally, it’s a good idea to see if you are eligible for so-called social tariffs. These are offered to homes receiving Universal Credit or other types of financial support.

Although social tariffs only offer basic speeds, prices can start from just £12.50 per month.

If that sounds enticing, give your provider a call to see if they can help.