Most Sky customers will see their bills rise again in April – but there are ways some people can avoid the hike.
Sky has said the average customer’s bill will rise by 6.2% on April 1, depending on what services they’ve opted into.
The telecoms giant will contact customers between February 21 and March 20 to inform them exactly how much their bills will rise.
Notifications will land depending on a person’s billing date. For example, those billed on the 1st of the month will be alerted first, 2nd next, and so on, to ensure people have at least 30 days’ notice.
If you’re unhappy with the new rate, there are things you may be able to do to avoid it, depending on your contract.
How to avoid the mid-contract bill increase
Mobile and broadband customers who are out of contract can leave – fee-free – if they do so within 30 days of receiving communications about an increase. People are urged to check their current contracts to see if they are.
Unfortunately, those in the middle of their contract cannot leave without facing a penalty. This is because the providers inform of mid-contract price increases in their terms and conditions.
Sky charges mobile and broadband customers a penalty of up to £43 to leave a package early, but the exact cost varies depending on the type of product the person has.
Those who are mid-contract and worried about the price increase can contact Sky, where they may be advised on better ways to manage the bill.
However, people identified by the provider as “vulnerable”, as well as those on social tariffs, will not be affected by the mid-contract bill increases.
I’ve signed up for a new contract recently – how will my bills increase?
From January 17, 2025, regulator Ofcom banned providers from including inflation-linked price increases in new contracts.
Subsequently, most have introduced a fixed annual price increase, which is stated in pounds and pence when people sign up. At the moment, this is typically ranging from between £2 and £3.50 extra per month. People who have signed up for new contracts around this date or after likely have terms that adhere to Ofcom’s new rules.
A Sky spokesperson said: “Our Sky broadband and TV products will see an average increase of 6.2% from April.
“We have worked hard to minimise the financial impact to customers while ensuring we maintain incredible value across our products and continue to invest in the services and experiences they know and love.”
