Social tariff - tax credits

jan98

Tried to get the bt home essentials but as we are on child/working tax credits application was rejected as benefit can’t be verified by them.  Spoke to bt advisor, nothing they can do it has to be verified by dwp, ( it’s a common problem that apparently dwp can deal with)- neither advisor at dwp or tax credits knew what the social tariff was and all they can do is send out a verification letter.  

Has anyone been successful in accessing social tariff broadband package on tax credits?  And how were you able to do it? 

Neil_Jones

Working Tax Credit isn't a "benefit" as such, it's sort of a sort of top-up to paid work, and its a legacy thing anyway.

For the social tariffs a benefit is usually something like Jobseekers.  However Universal Credit is a valid criteria for this tariff as per https://www.bt.com/terms/home-essentials#homeessplan - Universal Credit, Pension Credit (Guaranteed Element), Income support, income based ESA and income based JSA.

jan98

Thank you for commenting.    If we changed to universal credits we would be able to get the package, our home circumstances would still be the same.  As with the newer universal credit it is to help with low income families, being on a legacy benefit does not make you any less in need of help.  Being passed from bt call centre to DWP and Tax credits call centres to be told to go back to one or other of before mentioned call centres like a pin ball machine isn't great. 

If anyone has managed to get an answer to the issue it would be helpful to hear.

southsidergs

Nothing is going to change no matter what you do unless you're on one of the qualifying benefits i'm afraid

Neil_Jones

jan98 said:

Thank you for commenting.    If we changed to universal credits we would be able to get the package, our home circumstances would still be the same.  As with the newer universal credit it is to help with low income families, being on a legacy benefit does not make you any less in need of help.  Being passed from bt call centre to DWP and Tax credits call centres to be told to go back to one or other of before mentioned call centres like a pin ball machine isn't great. 

If anyone has managed to get an answer to the issue it would be helpful to hear.

I've already given you the answer.  The answer is you don't qualify, because claiming Working Tax Credit on its own does not entitle you to a social tariff.  Universal credit is the replacement for WTC (and other legacy benefits), but if you don't quality for that as per https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit/eligibility then, well, that's unfortunate, but them's the rules.

Sorry.

Maybe it would be more beneficial to haggle your existing tariff down.  Or move providers to somebody cheaper.