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Understanding in contract broadband price rises

Zen Jan 21 2026 5 minutes

If you’ve ever opened a broadband bill mid-contract and wondered why the price has gone up, you’re not alone. Many people only discover in contract broadband price rises after they’ve already signed up – and by then, it can feel like there’s not much you can do about it.

In this article, we’ll explain why mid-contract price rises happen, how they’re usually applied, what you’re entitled to as a customer, and how to avoid unexpected broadband price increases next time.

What are in contract broadband price rises?

In contract broadband price rises are increases to your monthly broadband cost that happen after you’ve signed your contract, but before that contract ends.

They’re often referred to as a mid-contract price rise, and they usually happen once a year. Even though your contract might run for 18 or 24 months, the price you pay each month isn’t always fixed for that entire period.

This can come as a surprise, especially if the deal you signed up for was advertised at a clear, fixed monthly price.

Why broadband prices increase mid-contract

Most broadband providers include price variation clauses in their contracts. These clauses allow them to increase prices during your contract, usually to reflect rising costs.

In recent years, many providers linked their annual broadband price increase to inflation, using a measure called the Consumer Prices Index (CPI). You may also have seen this described as CPI broadband rises, or as CPI plus an additional percentage.

For contracts that started before 17 January 2025, those CPI-linked terms can still apply, and customers on those deals may continue to see inflation-based increases during their contract.

For newer contracts, Ofcom has banned inflation-linked price rises. Instead, most major providers now apply a fixed annual increase in pounds and pence, which must be clearly set out before you sign up. While this is more transparent, it still means many customers experience a mid-contract price rise.

How mid-contract broadband price rises usually work

To make this clearer, here’s a realistic but hypothetical example of how in contract broadband price rises are typically applied.

For a contract with an inflation-linked clause (more common on deals that started before 17 January 2025), it might look like this:

Month 0: You sign up to a 24-month broadband contract at £30 per month.
Month 5: The annual CPI rate is announced.
Month 7: Your provider confirms an upcoming broadband price increase based on CPI, or CPI plus an extra percentage.
Month 8: Your monthly price rises to £33.
Month 20: A further increase is applied before your contract ends.

On newer contracts, the pattern is similar, but the increase is usually shown as a fixed amount in pounds and pence rather than being tied directly to CPI. Either way, by the time your contract finishes, you may have paid more than you expected when you first signed up.

How to spot a mid-contract price rise in your contract

The key details about in contract broadband price rises are usually included in your contract – but not always in the headline price.

When checking a new broadband deal, it’s worth looking for:

A price variation clause explaining how prices may change.
References to CPI or inflation-linked increases (on older contracts).
Details of a fixed annual increase in pounds and pence (on newer contracts).
Statements such as “annual price rise” or “prices may increase each year”.

These details are often found in the key facts summary or the full terms and conditions, rather than in promotional pricing.

What you’re entitled to as a broadband customer

Broadband providers are required to be clear and transparent about any in contract broadband price rises before you sign up.

This means they should explain:

That a price rise may happen during your contract.
How the increase is calculated.
When it is likely to be applied.

If a broadband price increase is clearly written into the contract and explained upfront, it usually does not give you the right to leave without paying early exit charges (which might still be worth paying depending on amounts payable vs amounts saved with a new provider).

However, if a provider applies a mid-contract price rise that wasn’t allowed for in your contract, or changes how prices are calculated, that might give you the right to leave penalty-free.

How Zen’s Contract Price Promise is different

At Zen, we believe broadband pricing should be simple and predictable.

That’s why we offer our Contract Price Promise. The price you agree when you sign up is the price you’ll pay for the full length of your contract – with no CPI broadband rises and no in contract broadband price rises.

You can read more about how this works here.

It’s a straightforward way to avoid unexpected broadband price increases and plan your household budget with confidence.

Checklist – what to check before signing a new broadband deal

Before your commit to a new broadband contract, it’s worth taking a few minutes to check:

Is the monthly price fixed for the full contract term?
Does the contract allow for a mid-contract price rise?
If your contract started before 17 January 2025, is the price linked to CPI or CPI plus an additional percentage?
If you’re signing a new deal now, is there a fixed annual increase in pounds and pence written into the contract?
When would a broadband price increase be applied?
Is there a provider that guarantees no in contract broadband price rises?

A little time spent checking now can help you avoid surprises later.

Do all broadband providers increase prices mid-contract?

Many of the biggest broadband providers do apply in contract broadband price rises, either through older CPI-linked clauses or newer fixed annual increases.

However, not all providers take this approach. Some choose to guarantee that your monthly price won’t change during your contract, which removes the risk of a mid-contract price rise altogether.