Millions of UK homes told to check their landline - ignoring warning could be costly
Millions of UK homes could be paying for a landline they rarely use or even need and 'ditching' it could help cut down on those all-important monthly bills. That's a new alert from the team at Go.Compare who say millions are paying for landline phones as part of their broadband contracts. By simply calling their suppliers, some could save as much as £50 per year by switching off this service.
According to Go.Compare the average cost of a broadband bundle that includes landline has increased by more than £5. That's taken bills from just under £25 in 2020 to around £31 in 2025. Right now, the average cost of a broadband-only plan is around £27 per month.
The issue of unloved landlines is bigger than you might think. Recent stats suggest 21.4 million adults have a landline in their homes, with the majority of these being included in a broadband package.
Incredibly, the data also showed that around a quarter of those with a landline actually use it regularly. One of the biggest reasons that the phone is sitting idle is, of course, smartphones.
Millions of us now call friends and family via broadband-connected services such as WhatsApp and Apple's FaceTime. These platforms are totally free to use and simply need internet access or a mobile connection to work.
Speaking about the issue, Matt Sanders, broadband expert at Go.Compare, said: 'Lots of households still need home phones to contact loved ones, but we are seeing this slowly decline as people rely more on mobiles and online communication. If you're someone who doesn't use the landline but are paying for it as part of your broadband package, it could be worth your while to ditch it altogether.
'This is because, over the past few years, we have seen more of a difference in price between broadband packages with and without a landline included. So, even if it's only worth a few quid each month, you could consider taking it off your contract and save a little on your monthly bill.
'But, before you unplug your phone line, it's important to compare broadband packages and find out what will work better for you. In some cases, deals that include a landline can actually be cheaper for users, but this depends entirely on the provider and all the details of your deal.'
If you don't think you are making any calls using your landline, it's worth checking with your provider to see if switching it off can save you money.
Some plans will be cheaper when moving over to a broadband-only connection, although this isn't always the case, so it's vital to shop around and see what's available.
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