My broadband provider raised my price mid-contract. What now?

If you signed a broadband contract at one monthly price and your provider has now raised it without your permission, you've more options than they tend to make obvious. Here's what is actually going on, what you can do about it, and how to avoid it next time.

Why this keeps happening every April

The big six UK broadband providers (BT, EE, Sky, TalkTalk, Vodafone and Plusnet) have historically raised prices every April for customers mid-contract. The rises were tied to inflation, usually phrased as inflation-linked, a percentage on top of CPI, written into the original terms in language most customers never read.

In April 2026, BT, Sky, EE, TalkTalk and Vodafone raised prices by roughly £3 to £4 a month in their annual review, according to multiple UK press reports at the time. The increases show up on a single bill, on a single day, with no warning beyond the small print of the contract you signed two years ago.

Can you leave without an early termination charge?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. It depends on when you signed and what the contract actually said at the time.

For contracts signed after January 2025. Following Ofcom's January 2025 ruling on inflation-linked broadband price rises, providers can no longer apply percentage-based rises linked to inflation to new contracts. Any mid-contract rise has to be stated in advance in pounds and pence, and you have to be told about it before you sign. If your provider tries to apply a rise that doesn't match what was written in your contract at the time of signing, you may be able to leave without an early termination charge.

For contracts signed before January 2025. Older contracts can still legally include inflation-linked rise clauses, and those rises usually apply. In that case you're stuck with the rise until your contract ends, unless the provider has changed the terms in a way that genuinely disadvantages you (for example, a rise that wasn't described in the original contract at all).

The practical check. Look at the email or letter your provider sent. If it says "as set out in your contract", that probably means the rise is contractually allowed. If it doesn't, ring them and ask which clause permits the change. Their answer often reveals whether you have a free exit.

What to do in the next two weeks

1. Read the notification. Note the exact percentage or pounds-and-pence figure, and the date it takes effect.
2. Check your original contract. The terms you signed should state how and when prices can rise. If you can't find them, request a copy from the provider in writing.
3. If the rise isn't allowed by your original contract, write to the provider stating that you intend to leave without an early termination charge under your right of withdrawal for material adverse changes. Use email, not phone, so you have a record.
4. If the rise is allowed, you've two choices: accept it and stay, or wait until your contract ends and switch then. The provider will often offer a discount if you tell them you intend to leave at the end of your term.
5. Either way, start checking what else is available at your address. Most full fibre alternatives are now the same monthly price or less than what the big six charge for slower lines.

How to actually switch when the time comes

Since 12th September 2024, under Ofcom's One Touch Switch process, you only have to contact the new provider. Your new provider co-ordinates the changeover with your old one, including cancellation of the old service. Most switches complete in 10 to 14 working days.

If anything goes wrong, you're protected by the Ofcom Automatic Compensation Scheme: £5.83 a day for a delayed switch, £29.15 for each missed engineer appointment, and £9.33 a day for a delayed start of service.

How to avoid this next time

The simplest answer is to pick a provider that doesn't apply mid-contract price rises at all. Inspire Telecom doesn't. The monthly price you sign at is the price you pay for the entire length of your contract. No inflation-linked rise clause, no annual letter, no surprise.

That promise isn't a marketing line, it's the contract you sign. Inspire is rated 4.9 on Trustpilot from over 600 verified UK customer reviews, much of which is built on this single point: customers are tired of being told one price and charged another.

If you're angry about your latest April rise and want to do something about it, check availability at your address and switch on a fixed price. We handle the move from your old provider for you.

Small businesses can do the same on business broadband. Same fixed-price promise, with an SLA on response times and a dedicated UK account manager.

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