Mobile phone contract while unemployed and receiving benefits?

Trum

Hello, first post but i have been an avid reader of the forum for years! So this is very simple, I have for the past 5+ years been unemployed due to mental health problems and recently due to an autism diagnosis i was awarded some benefits, its not a huge amount but its enough to live. Now im a huge saver, i save save save and rarely spend my money so i have a large savings from previous work + ongoing benefits.

To the point! I need a new phone, my dad actually pays for a cheap contract for me but i need extra data/minutes and a working phone, would a place like Vodafone or another company accept someone like me for a 2 year contract? I have been given documentation saying i have been awarded £230 every 4 weeks for 4 years on PIP, that alone should show i have the money coming in for a contract but im not sure that's enough for them.

So what do you think? Could i get a contract? I could just save up and buy a phone but there is something a bit........difficult about spending £300-500 on a tiny device.

glentoran99

You don't need to spend £500 on a device. you can get a mobile phone much much cheaper than that

Trum

glentoran99 wrote: »

You don't need to spend £500 on a device. you can get a mobile phone much much cheaper than that

Oh i know that, its just the fact i need a contract anyway, its not that much more, £18 for unlimited minutes a month for 2 years with an included Galaxy S8, that's a good deal, its completely manageable for me. Either way i need a contract so my question stands, do you need to have proof of income via a job/paycheque or would benefits be ok?

pmduk

Decide first how many minutes, texts and how much data you want. Then look for either a SIM only deal or a pay as you go deal and buy the phone outright. There are many decent handsets around £100-£150, and cheaper.

Trum

pmduk wrote: »

Decide first how many minutes, texts and how much data you want. Then look for either a SIM only deal or a pay as you go deal and buy the phone outright. There are many decent handsets around £100-£150, and cheaper.

I have looked, for me its all about data and with data comes minutes, i need at least 2gb a month and minimum 250minutes, the data usually means unlimited minutes anyway. The jump from a normal contract to one with a nice phone is a few £ a month, im not strapped for cash, as i said i save, i have saved for the past 15 years, i spend next to nothing, its a compulsion to me, my life is about budgeting so when i need something i will usually get a nice quality item to make sure it lasts me and i get some joy from it. The pay as you go option just doesn't cut it, it would cost me much more in the long run im certain.

[Deleted User]

Trum wrote: »

I have looked, for me its all about data and with data comes minutes, i need at least 2gb a month and minimum 250minutes, the data usually means unlimited minutes anyway. The jump from a normal contract to one with a nice phone is a few £ a month, im not strapped for cash, as i said i save, i have saved for the past 15 years, i spend next to nothing, its a compulsion to me, my life is about budgeting so when i need something i will usually get a nice quality item to make sure it lasts me and i get some joy from it. The pay as you go option just doesn't cut it, it would cost me much more in the long run im certain.

Getting a mobile phone on a contract is in effect the complete opposite of what you've just said.

Get a £100-£150 nice phone and put something like a Plusnet sim in it:

https://www.plus.net/mobile/plans/sim-only

2.5GB data, 2000 minutes, 5000 texts, £7.50 per month

5GB data, 5000 minutes, Unlimited texts, £10.00 per month

Trum

Colin_Maybe wrote: »

Getting a mobile phone on a contract is in effect the complete opposite of what you've just said.

Get a £100-£150 nice phone and put something like a Plusnet sim in it:

2.5GB data, 2000 minutes, 5000 texts, £7.50 per month

5GB data, 5000 minutes, Unlimited texts, £10.00 per month

Oh i never knew you could get such a decent sim deal but my point stands, would a monthy sim deal be ok for me? Would being on benefits be a problem, i dont know how much they look into customers, i guess they look at credit rating but do they ask about your occupation?

Atasas

Slow typing- ignore it
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https://www.plus.net/mobile/plans/sim-only

1 month roll-on is THE longest contract I would recommend

as for the phones, currently £90-£150 range of Lenovo, ZTE Nubia, Xiaomi, Cubot is more than plentiful.

...............................................................................
You should get 1 moth roll on contract, even being unemployed, but to go with as originally asked (12-24)- it will cost you so much too much- makes absolutely no sense to do so

DCFC79

Trum wrote: »

Oh i never knew you could get such a decent sim deal but my point stands, would a monthy sim deal be ok for me? Would being on benefits be a problem, i dont know how much they look into customers, i guess they look at credit rating but do they ask about your occupation?

Your credit rating isn't seen by anyone, your credit history is.


This is where a payg sim might come in handy or a pay monthly sim.

Trum

DCFC79 wrote: »

Your credit rating isn't seen by anyone, your credit history is.


This is where a payg sim might come in handy or a pay monthly sim.

This is where i fail hard, i dont know about these terms, i have never had any bills or anything except a credit card for a few years that i kept paid in full. Does that leave me at a disadvantage for these things?

DCFC79

Trum wrote: »

This is where i fail hard, i dont know about these terms, i have never had any bills or anything except a credit card for a few years that i kept paid in full. Does that leave me at a disadvantage for these things?

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