Sky announces new broadband and TV price rises: are you affected?

Sky has said it will raise prices on some of its broadband and pay TV packages from April 1 2023. It says the average increase will be 8.1%

However, the provider is one of the UK's biggest, so millions of customers will be affected by these price hikes. Sky will be writing to affected customers to notify them of changes over the next few weeks.

The increases follow last month's news that Virgin Media will be increasing many of its prices by 13.8% this spring. 

Several other providers, including BT, TalkTalk and Vodafone, will also be raising their prices by over 14% in March and April.

See how real customers rate Sky against competitors like BT, TalkTalk and Virgin Media in our survey of the best and worst broadband providers.

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How are Sky's prices changing? 

The majority of Sky's broadband and pay TV customers will see the price of their current deal increase, with several exceptions:

• Customers on Sky's Broadband Basics social tariff will not see a change to the amount they pay.
• Sky Glass and Sky Stream customers who signed up after 18 October 2022 will not be affected by the price increase.

Sky hasn't confirmed how the price increases will differ depending on other services customers have taken up, but has said the average rise will be 8.1% or £5.60 a month. It will write to all affected customers to confirm how their bill will be changing.

Can I leave my Sky contract if the price goes up?

Ofcom rules state that if providers raise the price of their broadband, mobile phone or landline deals by a rate greater than inflation, they must then allow customers to leave their contract penalty-free. However, many of these increases will be lower than the current inflation rate - your letter from Sky will explain whether you have the right to exit your contract. If you do, you will have 30 days after being informed of the price rise to switch without being hit with an exit fee.

If you're out of your contract with Sky, you're free to ditch your deal and switch providers at any time. Use our broadband comparison service to explore new broadband deals available where you live. If you find it tricky choosing between different deals, use our broadband provider reviews to discover how satisfied customers of each provider are with different aspects of its service, including value for money, broadband speeds and its customer service.

If you're within a fixed term contract and concerned about being able to pay a higher price, get in touch with Sky. It will take steps to help you with your bills - read more about the things providers can do to offer support for customers struggling with their broadband bills.

How to haggle with Sky

If you're happy with the service you get from Sky and you're out-of-contract, it's worth seeing these price rises as an opportunity to haggle. It might sound daunting to some, but, like most providers, Sky both expects and invites haggling.

The process is as simple as getting in touch with your provider and asking what it can offer. While you have the best leverage if you're out of contract or have the right to exit penalty-free, Sky may be willing to offer deals to other customers affected by prices rises, particularly if you subscribe to several services.

For a step-by-step guide on how to do it, read our tips on how to haggle for the best broadband deal.

Which? calls for action from telecoms providers

This year's price rises from Sky aren't as high as many other providers, but they come at a time when many are struggling to make ends meet. 

A Which? campaign is calling on essential businesses, including telecoms providers, to help consumers grappling with the impact of the cost of living crisis. Like supermarkets and energy companies, telecoms providers must pull together to create a fairer market, and help those struggling with the financial and emotional impact of rising prices.

We're calling on all broadband providers to allow customers to leave their contract and switch to another provider without penalty if prices are hiked mid-contract, and to cancel any 2023 price increase for financially vulnerable customers.