Asked by: Lord Goddard of Stockport (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what directions they intend to give Ofcom to reduce or abolish standing charges, to ease the financial burden on consumers, particularly the poorest.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Shadow Minister (Culture, Media and Sport)
Standing charges are not a feature in the telecommunications sector. Fixed broadband and landline suppliers charge a line rental fee which are set out in the terms and conditions that customers agree to when taking out their service.
We have taken steps to address the affordability concerns of people from low-income households. We have successfully negotiated with providers to introduce a range of low-cost, high-quality social tariffs for as little as £10 for people on Universal Credit and other means-tested benefits. We also secured a set of commitments from broadband and mobile providers to support people through the global rise in the cost of living. These commitments include more manageable payment plans and allowing households to switch to cheaper packages without penalty.