Almost 6m UK households ‘struggling to pay telecoms bills’

theguardian.com:

Almost 6 million UK households are struggling to pay their mobile, landline and broadband bills, with the cost of living squeeze forcing many to cut back on essentials such as food and clothes, cancel or change a service, or miss payments to stay connected.

A report from the consumer group Which? estimates that 5.7 million households have experienced at least one “affordability issue” in April, as cash-strapped homes struggle to cope with soaring bills and other costs.

Consumers are increasingly coming under pressure from the cost of living crisis – inflation is at a 40-year high and energy bills are forecast to soar to £3,600 annually this winter – more households are finding it harder to afford the essential telecoms services they previously took for granted.

Analysing data from the regulator Ofcom, Which? found that 3.5 million homes reduced spending on other essential items such as food and clothes in April to afford their telecoms bills. This is up from 2.2 million in February.

“The fact that millions of households have made sacrifices to prioritise their broadband and mobile connections during the cost of living crisis demonstrates just how essential these services are for day-to-day modern life,” said Rocio Concha, the director of policy and advocacy at Which?.

The affordability crunch is disproportionately affecting those on the lowest incomes: households with an annual income of up to £25,999.

The report found that 22% of lower-income households were forced to reduce spending elsewhere to afford connectivity services in April. This figure was 13% among middle-income homes – those with an annual income of £51,999 – up from 7% in February.

Which? said the government should cut the 20% VAT rate on telecoms bills to 5%,