Lots of people are concerned about rising living costs and are looking at ways they might be able to save money on the services they use every day. This includes phone, broadband and pay-TV services.

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to make sure you’re not paying too much, or to save money on the services you use.

Take a look at our tips to see if they could help you.

Could you qualify for a cheaper phone or broadband package?

If you’re having difficulty paying for your phone or broadband service, speak to your provider as soon as possible to see how they might be able to help you.

There’s a number of things they may be able to offer – one of these is called a ‘social tariff’, which is a cheaper package offered by some providers to some customers depending on their circumstances, which usually include receiving certain government benefits such as Universal Credit.

Social tariffs are cheaper broadband and phone packages for people claiming Universal Credit, Pension Credit and some other benefits. Some providers call them ‘essential’ or ‘basic’ broadband.

They’re delivered in the same way as normal packages, just at a lower price. Amid rising living costs, Ofcom is encouraging companies to offer social tariffs to help customers on low incomes.