topic Re: Can no longer afford Sky package in Account & Billing

Can no longer afford Sky package

Dianne88 — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 15:59:50 GMT

I've been a Sky customer for over 10 years but the prices have risen so much it's ridiculous! I'm a pensioner, and on disability benefits. My contract is due to run out...who can I speak to to either reduce my bill or cancel my subscription if they are unable to offer an affordable reduction? Could someone give me the number to call please, and any tips to get my bill reduced would be welcome!

Re: Can no longer afford Sky package

peter-marlow+1966 — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 16:09:52 GMT

Phone sky and sky to speak to the retention team and see what they can do for you i did it last month and got a nice discount from them on my sky tv package and my broadband package

Re: Can no longer afford Sky package

Daniel0210 — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 16:30:07 GMT

@Dianne88 wrote:

Could someone give me the number to call please

@Dianne88
To call Sky dial 150 (free) from a Sky Talk landline or a Sky mobile. Alternatively use this link…
https://www.sky.com/help/home
UK customers: Scroll down and click on ‘Need more help’ leading to a number starting 0333.
ROI customers: change the flag in the bottom right corner of the link to the ROI flag then scroll down and click on ‘Need more help’ to see a dedicated ROI number. (Customer Services in the ROI are not open at weekends).

The posting of full phone numbers isn’t permitted on the forum.

Calls to Sky will initially be automated which may try to send you here to the forum, offer you online help or offer to send you a text. Stay on the line as long as possible and saying nothing when asked the reason for the call sometimes helps being put in the queue for an agent.

Re: Can no longer afford Sky package

peter-marlow+1966 — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 17:23:36 GMT

As soon as they say that they have sent you a text link and is that all say no and you will be put through to an agent, tell them that you need to talk to the retention team and ask to be put through to them

Re: Can no longer afford Sky package

Daniel0210 — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 17:26:28 GMT

@Dianne88 wrote:

I'm a pensioner, and on disability benefits.

@Dianne88

You haven't said whether this is for TV or Broadband/Talk.

So if you have Sky Broadband, this link explains the process if you’re eligible for Sky Broadband Basics.
https://www.sky.com/help/articles/sky-social-tariff

The Sky account holder needs to be claiming Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Income Support, Income based Jobseekers Allowance or Income based Employment Support Allowance. These are the only qualifying benefits and in order for Sky to carry out checks with DWP they will need your NI number. The social tariff is for Sky Broadband Superfast 35 with an average download speed of 36Mb/s and the Sky Talk Pay As You Go tariff (ie: all calls are chargeable). It does not offer a discounted Sky Talk plan.

Broadband Basics is only available to customers who already have Sky Broadband and to add the Sky Mobile offer, you’ll need to be taking Sky Broadband Basics, and:
a) Already have Sky Mobile and a 3GB data plan.
b) Or you can add a new 3GB data plan with Sky Mobile.
The linked Sky mobile deal is only for 12 months.

If you are eligible you’ll need to call Sky to join. There is no equivalent offer for TV. The broadband part of the social tariff now lasts for 24 months and then reverts to the full cost but if you’re still eligible you will then need to re-apply.

Re: Can no longer afford Sky package

peter-marlow+1966 — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 17:49:57 GMT

This was for both packages tv and broadband

Re: Can no longer afford Sky package

Daniel0210 — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 17:58:34 GMT

@peter-marlow+1966 wrote:

This was for both packages tv and broadband

@peter-marlow+1966

Where has the OP said that?

Re: Can no longer afford Sky package

peter-marlow+1966 — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 18:25:01 GMT

Take a look at this

Re: Can no longer afford Sky package

peter-marlow+1966 — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 18:26:40 GMT

And this one

Re: Can no longer afford Sky package

Daniel0210 — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 18:29:12 GMT

@peter-marlow+1966

Those presumably are your bills so not relevant to the OP's post.

Re: Can no longer afford Sky package

peter-marlow+1966 — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 18:38:57 GMT

If they phone sky and speak to the retention team as i did and also explains what benefits they get they will get help, what i posted is what i got in discounts are speaking to the retention team last month and no i am not on any benefits i work full time been wit sky for 17 years just trying to help this person with my own experience of how to get discounts, sorry if i am in the wrong, i just follow money expert martin Lewis's advice and haggle with them

Re: Can no longer afford Sky package

peter-marlow+1966 — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 18:50:59 GMT

So yes they are relevant the other person's post on here they can no longer afford their bills so ring sky and ask to speak to the retention team and see what they can do for them, i would advise anyone who is having problems with their bills to speak to retention team, they have nothing to lose

@Dianne88 wrote:
I've been a Sky customer for over 10 years but the prices have risen so much it's ridiculous! I'm a pensioner, and on disability benefits. My contract is due to run out...who can I speak to to either reduce my bill or cancel my subscription if they are unable to offer an affordable reduction? Could someone give me the number to call please, and any tips to get my bill reduced would be welcome!

Re: Can no longer afford Sky package

Anonymous — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 20:37:50 GMT

@Dianne88 wrote: any tips to get my bill reduced would be welcome!

When speaking to Sky, be open and honest about what you can feasibly do. Although they get some flack at times the Sky staff are typically really considerate and if they understand your situation they'll probably try to do at least something for you. Be prepared to take any offer there and then because you might not get that again.

Also, be prepared for the answer to be "no", if you're in contract that's a perfectly valid answer for Sky to give.

Re: Can no longer afford Sky package

pepsimax73 — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 13:35:01 GMT

I'm in the same predicament, I cant afford my package anymore so I called today to try and reduce my package and the sky customer service agents solution was to take out broadband with sky.

I asked to remove sports and cinema but was told I would incur a fee of £60 which is great when you phone to say you cant afford your contract. The only viable option that leave me is to not pay sky at all as the help I received from Sky was literally nonexistent.

Re: Can no longer afford Sky package

MarkGoldsmith — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 13:37:57 GMT

@pepsimax73 wrote:
I'm in the same predicament, I cant afford my package anymore so I called today to try and reduce my package and the sky customer service agents solution was to take out broadband with sky.
I asked to remove sports and cinema but was told I would incur a fee of £60 which is great when you phone to say you cant afford your contract. The only viable option that leave me is to not pay sky at all as the help I received from Sky was literally nonexistent.

Not paying isn't an option either, as that would suspend your service, put you in debt with Sky ( that you can't get out of) and negatively impact your credit score.

Unfortunately, this is the nature of long-term contracts: you are signing up and committing to pay a provider a certain amount of money per month (which will be at a discount to the usual prices), and breaking that contract under certain circumstances would require early termination fees to be charged.

Re: Can no longer afford Sky package

pepsimax73 — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 13:43:07 GMT

The way I feel about it they can suspend my services the agent I spoke to today was atrocious more interested in selling me broadband than trying to find a solution.

Re: Can no longer afford Sky package

MightyQuinn — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 13:54:12 GMT

@pepsimax73 wrote:
The way I feel about it they can suspend my services the agent I spoke to today was atrocious more interested in selling me broadband than trying to find a solution.

Hi @pepsimax73 A better approach may be to record your feeling by raising a formal Complaint At least that way your request should reach a level above a ordinary advisor that clearly didn't understand your predicament.

Re: Can no longer afford Sky package

Daniel0210 — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 14:00:05 GMT

@pepsimax73
TTo remove part of your TV package you need to contact Sky giving the standard 31 days notice. If you have 'in contract' discounts you may not be allowed to remove them as the discounts were based on you paying for the whole term Also make sure cancellation of a certain add-on doesn’t cancel another part of a discount.

You may be able to remove it via this link which includes a message option (usually available between 9am & 7.30pm) or by calling using the number that should appear.
https://www.sky.com/help/articles/change-your-package-2-t2#downgrade

As already stated cancelling the payment method is definitely not recommended and it will cause additional problems. The relevant services will be restricted, you won't be able to call Sky, the account can't be cancelled, late payment fees will be added and eventually Sky could involve a debt recovery company which may affect your credit rating.