Three launches £12-a-month mobile tariff for people on benefits

theguardian.com:

A social tariff aimed at helping mobile users struggling with the cost of living, which offers unlimited calls, texts and data for £12 a month, has been launched by mobile operator Three.

The Guardian revealed on Monday that other big telecoms providers were planning steep bill increases from April and May.

The Three deal, available through its sub-brand Smarty, is being offered as a flexible one-month rolling plan which can be changed or cancelled at any time.

The social tariff will be available to anyone in receipt of a range of benefits, including income-based employment support, income-based job seekers’ support, income support, pension credit, or universal credit.

Three said it estimates that more than 4.2m households across the UK could benefit from the new tariff.

“With the cost of living crisis continuing to put financial pressure on many of our customers, Three is committed to playing its part in the solution,” said Elaine Carey, Three’s chief commercial officer.

“More than ever, people are in need of support, and that should include access to affordable connectivity without restrictions.

“I am delighted that we are launching this tariff today, offering low-cost access to our network for the customers who need it most.”

Several other telecoms firms have also introduced social tariffs for customers in need of cost of living support, and the government has previously asked businesses to do more to promote such deals after Ofcom data showed that while offers were widely available, very few who were eligible had actually signed up.

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Three has also donated data to a