Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled End to surprise phone and broadband bill hikes to help with cost of living, published on 11 February 2026, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Telecoms Consumer Charter on the proportion of consumers experiencing mid-contract price rises.

The Department’s assessment is that the Telecoms Consumer Charter will strengthen protections for consumer by securing the clear and public commitment from major providers that the price customers sign up to is the price they will pay, except for genuinely unforeseeable circumstances.

While it is not possible to provide a precise estimate of the number of consumers who will benefit, the Charter covers the vast majority of the market, with major fixed and mobile providers having signed up. This mean millions of mobile and broadband customers will now have greater certainty over their monthly bills. These commitments will help to ensure households can better manage costs and avoid mid-contract bill shocks.