People On Uc Offered Half Price Fibre Bb From Bt Next Month.

[Janus 28]

BT has announced plans to offer fibre broadband at less than half price to any household in the UK which is receiving universal credit.

More than four million households will be eligible for the Home Essentials package, which will launch next month.

People eligible for BT Home Essentials will pay £15 a month for speeds of about 36 megabits per second (Mbps).

BT's equivalent broadband package for those not on universal credit costs £32.99 a month.
https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-56949254
 

[Mr Allen 0]

Meh, I ditched Talk Talk 6 months ago in favour of Plusnet because I couldn't talk to TT's Foreign call centres! And now Plusnet don't answer the phone for half an hour!  

 

OK  I get that everyone's working remotely due to the Pandemic including their support staff but come on!

 

Also, I was on BT dial up 20 years ago and the service was a joke and customer "support" (and I use the term very loosely! ) was a nightmare.

 

 

[Ghozer 112]

So Screw those not on UC and on other benefits, like ESA/PiP, DLA or Income Support.... (those who haven't been moved to UC etc)

Really getting sick of this "help  for everyone else, but screw the disabled"

[Mr Allen 0]

Just now, Ghozer said:

So Screw those not on UC and on other benefits, like ESA/PiP, DLA or Income Support.... (those who haven't been moved to UC etc)

Really getting sick of this "help  for everyone else, but screw the disabled"

Indeed.

 

2 years ago they tried to put me on UC but fortunately I had a very good employment support worker who managed to block it and now I'm on enhanced rate PIP thanks to my Parents spending hours doing all the paperwork.

 

But it'll never change, as long as there are disability bashing Daily Fail readers who'd vote for a 3 legged Sheep if it wore the colours of the Tories!   

 

[apelike 10]

6 minutes ago, Ghozer said:

So Screw those not on UC and on other benefits, like ESA/PiP, DLA or Income Support.... (those who haven't been moved to UC etc)

Really getting sick of this "help  for everyone else, but screw the disabled"

The benefits that qualify:

 

Universal Credit

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Income Support

Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

The Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit

 

It will be interesting to know just how many take this offer up especially given that if they are already on a package from another provider they will possibly incur a penalty charge for cancelling early.

Edited May 3, 2021 by apelike

[Mr Allen 0]

13 minutes ago, apelike said:

The benefits that qualify:

 

Universal Credit

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Income Support

Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

The Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit

 

It will be interesting to know just how many take this offer up especially given that if they are already on a package from another provider they will possibly incur a penalty charge for cancelling early.

I'd hope most would be savvy enough to avoid BT in the first place, Foreign call centres, rubbish service in general... 

 

[Janus 28]

I don't fully understand what UC is.

 

What I do recall when it was rolled out, is that it was described just as a method of paying benefits monthly. Hence why people who were used to getting paid weekly or    fortnightly were struggling to manage their money.

 

Did it eventually  morph in to an actual type of benefit?

[Mr Allen 0]

12 minutes ago, Janus said:

I don't fully understand what UC is.

 

What I do recall when it was rolled out, is that it was described just as a method of paying benefits monthly. Hence why people who were used to getting paid weekly or    fortnightly were struggling to manage their money.

 

Did it eventually  morph in to an actual type of benefit?

Here you go!  

 

 

[Janus 28]

From the Link Mr Allen:

 

Universal Credit is replacing the following benefits:

• Child Tax Credit
• Housing Benefit
• Income Support
• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Working Tax Credit

So if someone says they are on Universal credit, they could be on any one or more of the benefits from the above list 

[CLECKHECK 10]

Having been with BT for over 20 years I've just had a nightmare renewing my broadband.  Their phone lines send you round in circles, you get put on hold for ages, the details of the contract agreed with the "agent" are not confirmed; you can't call back the "agent" you previously spoke to, etc., etc.  I spoke with, or "chatted" with, at least 10 different people.......  I've ended up with a broadband deal (something called "Halo" whatever that is!) costing £40.99 per month.  I KNOW I should have gone elsewhere but as a housebound, disabled octogenarian,  I couldn't face the hassle and my broadband is my only means of keeping in touch with family and friends, almost all of my shopping, my GP and other medical professionals, my banking.....  So good luck to anyone who gets a half price deal with BT!

[Ghozer 112]

5 hours ago, apelike said:

The benefits that qualify:

 

Universal Credit

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Income Support

Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

The Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit

 

It will be interesting to know just how many take this offer up especially given that if they are already on a package from another provider they will possibly incur a penalty charge for cancelling early.

That's fair enough then..

But when the Government did the whole £20 extra for those on UC during the pandemic, those on the others got nothing... Even though expenses went up also..... So this (at first) kinda felt like another stab

[Mr Allen 0]

17 minutes ago, Ghozer said:

That's fair enough then..

But when the Government did the whole £20 extra for those on UC during the pandemic, those on the others got nothing... Even though expenses went up also..... So this (at first) kinda felt like another stab

A measly 20 quid increase for the Millions on UC? Hardly worth the effort IMO, especially when it'd cost them more than that in admin to administer it!