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

Yes, a UK broadband provider can raise your price mid-contract, but only if your contract allowed it. For contracts signed or renewed on or after 17 January 2025, any in-contract rise must be shown upfront in pounds and pence before you sign. If the rise wasn't clearly set out, or the provider charges more than the contract allowed, you can usually leave without an early termination charge.

Can my broadband provider raise prices mid-contract?

It depends entirely on when you signed and what the contract said at the time. Use the table below to find your situation.

What changed on 17 January 2025?

On 17 January 2025, Ofcom's ban on inflation-linked, percentage-based mid-contract price rises took effect for new broadband and mobile contracts. From that date, providers can no longer link in-contract rises to CPI or RPI. Any future rise has to be set out in advance as a specific pounds-and-pence amount, on a specific date, before you sign. You can read the rule on Ofcom's price-rises guidance.

Contracts signed before 17 January 2025 can still legally carry an inflation-linked rise clause, and those rises usually still apply until your term ends. The big six providers (BT, EE, Sky, TalkTalk, Vodafone and Plusnet) historically raised prices every April under exactly these clauses. In April 2026 several of them raised prices by roughly £3 to £4 a month in their annual review.

Can I leave without paying an early termination charge?

If the rise breaches what your original contract stated, you can usually exit without paying an early termination charge (ETC). You still pay up to the cancellation date. Get the provider's agreement in writing before you start the switch, otherwise the old provider may apply an ETC you then have to dispute. This right is usually time-limited, often around 30 days from the notification, so don't delay reading the letter.

What should I check in my contract and price-rise notice?

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

What should I do next if the rise wasn't clearly set out?

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 can I avoid mid-contract broadband price rises 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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