Suggestions for BT Light User changes?

chris1

I have an elderly relative who is on the BT Light User Scheme (which reduces the costs for people who make few calls) and has received a letter saying the scheme will be discontinued. It will be replaced by BT Basic which is only available for those on benefits.

Although she is on a very low income, she won't apply for Pension Credit as she comes from the generation where that would be shameful and demeaning. She pays about £11 per quarter now but this will rise to about £45 - even though she makes less than one call per month.

She may give up the phone altogether which is not a good idea!

Can anyone suggest an alternative? (A mobile would not be suitable).

Many thanks

fwor

BT are really turning the screws on light users - indeed on all users, with the removal of the previous Friends and Family scheme.

Problem is that other providers don't want light users either - they all seem to want to sell bundled packages to heavy users!

You say that a mobile won't be suitable, but a PAYG mobile seems to be the only real cost-saving option that I can think of. If you get one of the huge mobiles designed for the elderly like the Emporia Life and stick a £10 Asda mobile PAYG SIM in it, they will probably get a couple of years use before it needs topping up!

Another possibility is the Amplicom, which has a desk charger, hearing aid loop, etc, and it's quite a bit cheaper too.

Savvy_Sue

Just make sure that the mobile doesn't have credits which expire after a time, or that the number doesn't vanish if you don't use it for 6 months! Although, if that's your only phone I guess it is more likely that you will use it at least monthly!

Biggles

I would be inclined to alk to her about Pension Credit again, explaining that it's a suppement to her state pension that she's paid for and is fully entitled to.

My mother was also of the same generation but, when these things were discussed with her in the right way, she became quite keen on getting what was, after all, her entitlement.