Making money off of (but not from) the LEA?

DrScotsman

I'm a student with a disability I'm not going to mention right now due to lack of relevence. Among other things, I'm granted £15/month 10 months a year off of Internet from my LEA. I'm on a £20/month (1 month contract) plan with ADSL24, not very competitive, but I thought since I'm getting so much of it paid for I might as well go with one for good reviews (and the service is good IMO; no fair use policy afaicr).

But here's a money moral dilemma: I'm not sure if the offer's still availible, but earlier this month there was £12.50/month for o2 broadband WITH £70 cashback. I think you can see where this is going: Would it be immoral to simply make cashback out of having broadband?

See, I can see two ways to argue this. On the one hand, you could think about it as no extra public money is being used: the cashback is coming out of o2's pocket. So although I don't really deserve the money, we prefer to (legally) screw companies over.

But on the other hand, you could say well why don't I just take the o2 deal with the cashback and claim just the right amount from the Internet so that I've broke even? Thing is, by that logic it'd be immoral to NOT go for a cashback deal.

Right now I'm not actually considering doing this, but I'd really like to hear all of your views on this.

CiciBaltimore

its wrong to do that, nothing more to say.

krisskross

I would be happy for you to switch and get the cashback. But only if you are going to be honest and give back £5 a month of the money you receive from the LEA. You will be £2.50 a month better off plus the £70 cashback. The LEA will save £60 a year. Everyone's a winner.

Zziggi

Find a £15 a month tariff, no dilemma and no overpayment by you, no profit made by you.

MrsManda

If your LEA is anything like mine you will have to submit your bills from the internet company to claim back the money. The cashback will be included in your statement. Therefore if you provide the LEA with your bills, they can either decide the cashback reduces your payments and thus pay the reduced bill, in which case you don't lose anything as your internet will still being paid, or they can ignore the cashback and just pay the monthly bill. Chose the internet deal which is best for you in terms of helping you to study. If its the one your currently on stick with it, if it's O2, go for it and let the LEA decide what to do about the cashback.

I get my internet paid for and went for a joint phone and mobile broadband deal with 3. I decide mobile broadband would be best for me as I need it when I'm in hospital (kinda the point of them paying for my broadband ), and this was the best deal I could get. The deal does have cashback with it and the phone and broadband are billed separately. I will therefore send the LEA the broadband bill (which will have the cashback listed) and let them decide what to pay.

krisskross

I am assuming the internet company and the cashback site are different? That you would be changing via Quidco or Topcashback?

In this case no one will know about the cashback, it will be paid directly from the cashback site. Your internet bills will not show the cashback, just your monthly bills.
The cashback site is like a middleman.

MrsManda

My cashback comes directly from the provider - it was part of their tariff so it will go onto my bill hence leaving it to the LEA to decide.