New MP Bill Demands Total Ban on Mid-Contract Broadband Price Rises
Thu, 9 Jul 2026 – Dr Luke Evans MP has introduced a new parliamentary bill to completely outlaw mid-contract broadband and mobile price rises parliamentary bill to completely outlaw mid-contract broadband and mobile price rises. While Ofcom banned inflation-linked hikes last year, big providers simply replaced them with fixed £3 to £4 annual increases. Recent consumer research proves these flat fees actually punish households on cheaper broadband plans more than the old inflation system. You don’t have to wait for this bill to become law to protect your monthly direct debit. Several independent full fibre networks already guarantee your price will never change during your contract.
The Mid-Contract Price Rise Bill: Key Takeaways
- A new Private Members Bill seeks to make mid-contract broadband price increases illegal.
- Current Ofcom rules force major providers to declare flat-rate hikes, usually £3 or £4 a month.
- MoneySavingExpert data shows 75% of customers are worse off under this new fixed-hike system.
- You can bypass these increases today by switching to fixed-price independent networks.
The Problem with the £4 “Pounds and Pence” Rule
Last year, Ofcom stopped telecom companies from linking their April price hikes to unpredictable inflation rates. Providers like BT, TalkTalk, and Virgin Media now write a flat £3 or £4 monthly increase directly into your contract. This looks transparent on paper, but it acts as a highly regressive tax on budget plans.
Exclusive research from MoneySavingExpert analysing 47,000 tariffs reveals that 75% of customers are actually worse off under this updated ‘pounds and pence’ system compared to the old inflation-linked model. In almost 99% of cases, the flat hike outpaces current inflation.
The math is brutal for budget-conscious households. If you pay £20 a month for a basic connection, a £4 hike increases your monthly bill by a massive 20%. Someone paying £45 a month for a premium package only sees a 9% rise from the exact same £4 fee. Providers are heavily penalising customers who choose cheaper tariffs.
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Will the New Bill Pass?
The Telecommunications (Fixed-term Contracts) Bill aims to shut this loophole completely. It proposes making the price you sign up for the exact price you pay for the entire 18 or 24-month term. Private Members Bills rarely become binding law without heavy government backing. The legislation still sends a clear political warning over how major networks treat their loyal customers.
How to Avoid the April Hikes Right Now
You have immediate options to lock down your monthly bills. Independent fibre builders use strict price guarantees to win customers away from the major brands.
Providers like Zen Internet, Hyperoptic, Cuckoo, YouFibre, Trooli, and Rebel Internet refuse to raise prices while you remain in your initial contract period. Households in London can look at network coverage through Community Fibre, while households in coastal cities like Southampton and Portsmouth can access independent networks like Toob to escape the big brands entirely.
Finding these locked-in broadband deals takes seconds. You can run a quick search on our tool to compare broadband packages from independent suppliers at your home address.
Hassle Free Switching
The process of moving away from these price hikes is now entirely handled by your new internet company. Under the latest One Touch Switch (OTS) regulations, you no longer have to call your current supplier to cancel. Your new provider manages the entire handover behind the scenes, making it significantly easier to secure a fixed-price deal without fighting through a retention department sales pitch.
