Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring broadband providers to offer affordable tariffs for people on low incomes.

The government recognises the importance of digital connectivity, particularly during this difficult period. We have worked closely with industry to develop a number of voluntary commitments. Providers have committed to working with customers who are finding it difficult to pay their bill as a result of COVID-19, to ensure that customers were treated fairly and appropriately supported. This is in addition to lifting all fixed broadband data caps and providing new and generous landline and mobile offers, such as free or low cost mobile data boosts.

In line with Ofcom’s recommendation in their Affordability Report published in December 2020, the government encourages those providers who do not currently offer social tariff packages to do so and we will monitor the situation closely.