We round up who’s affected, how prices are changing, when the increase takes force, and what you can do about it below. Plus, if you’re thinking of using this an an opportunity to check if you can switch and save, see our How to get Cheap Broadband guide.
Which Virgin Media customers will see price rises?
The price increase affects all UK cable customers – those with broadband, TV and fixed line phone contracts – who joined Virgin Media before 29 June 2020 who aren’t considered ‘vulnerable’. Vulnerable customers, which includes those on Virgin Media’s new ‘Essential’ broadband package for people receiving Universal Credit, as well as ‘Talk Protected’ landline customers, are excluded from these prices increases.
Virgin Media wouldn’t tell us how many people this impacts, but did confirm it would be “millions”.
Customers who joined Virgin Media or took out one of its new bundles from 29 June 2020 onwards are not affected as they already pay the provider’s latest prices.
How are prices changing?
Most bills will rise by between £2.50 and £4.50 a month (£30 to £54 a year) depending on the exact bundle you have, although the average increase is 4% or £3.63 a month (£43.56 a year). We’ve asked Virgin Media to confirm the smallest and largest increase customers face and we’ll update this story when we know more.
Out of bundle call costs are not rising, and it’s worth pointing out that Virgin Media only serves cable customers and not those on copper lines.
When does the increase take force?
For those customers on a fixed-price promotion, ie, who are still within the minimum term of their contract, the price change will take force once their promotional period ends. Those who are not within their minimum term, ie, who are on a monthly rolling contract, will see their price change from 1 March 2021.
Virgin Media says it’s currently writing to its UK cable customers to inform them of the price hikes.