Little-known Sky bill rule means millions of customers could avoid £38 a year hike

A little-known rule could allow millions of Sky customers to avoid a £38 a year bill hike next month.

The TV and broadband company is set to increase bills by 6.2% on April 1.

The increase is one of a series of bill hikes set to come into force in what has been dubbed “awful April” – follow our series to learn more.

Increases to broadband, TV and utility costs have led to estimates that the average household could see their bills could go up by £660.

For Sky customers the increase is the third in three years following a 6.7% hike in 2024 and a 8.1% climb in 2023.

The exact price each customer will see be charged depends on the specifics of their subscription, but if you currently pay £39 per month for Sky TV, Netflix, and Full Fibre 150 broadband, your bill will increase by £2.42, bringing the total to £41.42 a month.

Customers paying £35 per month for Sky's Essential TV and Full Fibre 150 will see an increase of £2.17, bringing their total to £37.17 a month.

Meanwhile, those subscribed to Sky's Essential TV and Full Fibre Gigafast Broadband at £51 per month will experience a rise of £3.16, taking their new total to £54.16 a month.

But, there is a chance that Sky customers can avoid the hike, by cancelling their subscription free of charge.

All customers impacted by the price hikes are able to exit their broadband contracts within 30 days of being informed of the rise.

Within this time period customers will not be charged a cancellation fee.

Unfortunately that policy does not extend to Sky Q TV, Sky Stream, or Sky Glass contracts and customers will be charged a cancellation fee if they exit within the minimum service term.

Sky TV's exit fees start at £14 and climb to £42.89 a month, depending on your subscription.

This can lead to a hefty price tag for those wanting to cancel.

For example, if you cancel a standard Sky TV package priced at £33.82 per month with 12 months remaining on a 24-month contract, you would be required to pay the remaining 12 months' fees in one lump sum.

This would result in a total early termination fee of £405.84.

So double check to see if you're still within your contract term before cancelling.

Ofcom had estimated 32% of bundled broadband and pay-TV customers were out of contract as of the end of June 2024 – meaning they would have been free to shop around for cheaper deals.

The regulator's analysis means some 1.8million Sky customers could be able to end their contracts without incurring a penalty ahead of April's price hike.

Customers can also consider options such as downgrading their services, or looking for a better deal.

If you do wish to keep your Sky services do consider looking around to check what similar providers are charging and haggle.

The first step is to find out what the cheapest deal on the market is.

Then simply call your telecom company and say you're unhappy with their price.

You can tell them if you've found a better price somewhere else and then emphasise that, as a loyal customer, you want to know if you can get a better deal.

The worst they can say is no, and you're no worse off.

Comparison sites like Uswitch.com or Moneysavingexpert.com can help you to find the best deals on the market.

TV costs can easily escalate with multiple subscriptions and streaming services.

So, with bills rising across the board, it's a great time to check your subscriptions and end those you don't use.

It's been estimated that Brits waste £700million a year on unused subscriptions that have been left to roll over.

Your first step should be to check any direct debits coming out of your bank account, bearing in mind some fees may be taken annually.

Don't forget to also check if you've subscribed to services through the Apple App Store or Google Play.

If you're not using a service cancel your subscription and consider limiting the number you have at any one time.

How do I switch providers?

Switching TV, broadband and landline providers has become significantly easier due to new rules introduced in September 2024.

Customers now only need to contact their new provider to make the switch, eliminating the need to deal with their current provider.

The rule changes also ensure that customers won't pay notice-period charges beyond the switch date, meaning they won’t be billed for overlapping services.

Additionally, providers are required to compensate customers for any issues during the switch, such as being left without service for more than one working day.

The amount of compensation will vary depending on the situation.

The new rules align broadband and TV switching with mobile switching.

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