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If you have poor credit – or no credit history at all – you might be worried about your eligibility for broadband. Most broadband providers carry out a credit check before you can take out a plan with them, but luckily, there are broadband deals available with some providers who won’t check your credit score. Here are the best deals you can enjoy that don’t require good credit history.
No credit check broadband is a broadband plan you can take out without the provider performing a credit check. Providers generally do a credit check to ensure that the holder of the broadband account can pay the bill each month. Like when you take out a mobile phone contract, you’ll need to prove that you won’t have issues paying for the monthly costs on time.
You acquire good credit history through a track record of paying your household and personal bills on time and showing you can responsibly manage your credit card debt or other kinds of debt. There are lots of reasons why someone might not have a good credit score. For example, they may have a poor credit score if they’ve recently moved from another country (or have been travelling abroad for some time), moved home several times in recent years, declared bankruptcy or frequently missed bill payments. Some people might not have a credit score at all if they’ve never lived away from home or taken out a credit card, phone plan or utility contract.
Although most broadband providers will carry out a credit check if you want to sign up for one of their broadband packages, there are a couple that don’t.
Plusnet
Plusnet is a top UK provider, and it currently doesn’t require a credit check for its broadband plans. Plusnet broadband deals include a range of fibre and full fibre packages with unlimited downloads, and it offers 18-month contracts on some plans. Plusnet is also one of the best providers in the country for customer service, with an Ofcom report claiming that 89 per cent of customers were satisfied with the service they received.
NOW Broadband
NOW Broadband is owned by Sky, and it doesn’t require a credit check for its broadband packages. However, it doesn’t offer as much choice as other top UK providers, with only three deals to consider. These are all fibre broadband deals with average download speeds ranging from 11Mbps to 63Mbps, so if you’re looking for a simple broadband plan that won’t give you sky-high speeds but guarantees a reliable service, NOW might be a good choice.
Pros
Cons
While there’s less choice when it comes to no credit check broadband, you can still enjoy a range of deals. Here are the kinds of plans and packages you can expect with no credit check.
Fibre broadband deals
Unlike traditional ADSL connections, which use copper cables and your phone line, fibre and full fibre connections use fibre optic cables, which are more reliable and generally offer faster average download speeds. Both Plusnet and NOW Broadband offer fibre broadband. Plusnet has a wide range of packages with different download speeds, so you don’t have to worry about missing out on the best plans.
Broadband-only deals
If you’re looking for broadband-only packages, Plusnet and NOW Broadband have a range of these. In fact, broadband-only plans are the most common type available if you need no credit check broadband. They’re ideal if you’re just looking for a reliable connection with fast speeds, as you won’t be paying for add-ons or bundles that you won’t use.
Broadband and phone deals
When it comes to the addition of a landline service, Plusnet unfortunately doesn’t offer any broadband and phone packages because it’s phasing out its current phone lines and therefore not offering the service to new customers. However, NOW Broadband includes line rental with all three of its packages.
Broadband and TV deals
This is one area where you’ll find that needing no credit broadband can hold you back. Some top UK providers offer a range of broadband and TV deals, including the option to enjoy a new TV device with your package, but they all carry out credit checks.
However, all is not lost – just because a provider requires a credit check before you can take out a plan, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t sign up for one of its broadband packages. Speak to one of its employees because they might be willing to accept another form of proof that you can pay your bills, such as evidence of long-term employment, bank statements or a history of paid phone bills. The provider might also ask you to pay a deposit, which will be used to cover your bill if you ever miss a payment.
All Plusnet’s and Now Broadband’s plans have no upfront costs. Always check the terms and conditions of the package you’re signing up for, as there could be hidden costs that aren’t immediately obvious, such as a delivery or activation fees.
There are other providers that offer broadband with no upfront costs, but they usually require a credit check. If you opt for a different broadband provider that does carry out a credit check and you agree to pay a deposit to cover the cost of possible missed payments, this counts as an upfront cost.
If you take out a broadband deal and struggle to pay your monthly bills, this can negatively affect your credit score and jeopardise your chances of taking out loans and other credit agreements in the future. If you’re worried that you won’t be able to pay your broadband bills on time, you should consider no-contract broadband deals, as these are easier to get out of than something like a 24-month broadband deal.
Yes, with social tariffs and broadband for low-income families, you can get a decent broadband package if you’re on Universal Credit or claiming other benefits from the government. These plans, which include BT Home Essentials and EE Basics, are usually much cheaper than regular broadband deals and have slower download speeds.
As with any credit check, you’ll usually have to provide basic personal details such as your full name, date of birth and current address. The provider will likely check these against the details on the electoral roll, then use an official credit reference agency to check your credit score and history.
The best way to improve your credit score is to pay your bills on time. Getting a credit card can be another great way to improve your credit score. Using it for small purchases that you can pay back almost immediately shows that you can manage your debt responsibly.
