Need To Lower Bill

[Luna81]

Hi, my elderly parents currently have:

- Sky talk anytime extra (needed as they make a lot of phonecalls health-related as my mum is disabled and she also has an emergency pendant) 

- TV essentials (they don't need or want the TV bit but keep getting told they need it, do they really? And would the calls or broadband be more without this?) 

- Sky broadband essentials plus (They just need a basic broadband cheap as all they have is an Alexa that we use to talk as it's easier to see them when needed, is there any other cheaper one?) 

They are currently paying £50 a month now after I have phoned last month and got the bill down to that but it's still not low enough, they're pensioners, my mum is disabled and gets PIP but sky don't do the social tariff for that. 

If they cancelled the TV and broadband, would the Sky talk anytime extra always only be £18.99? 

As I think Vodaphone do the social broadband tariff for PIP at £20 a month

Also I think Plusnet do a full landline unlimited deal for £12.69 a month. 

Just unsure of what do to to get them the lowest price as they're unable to pay £50 a month, I will be phoning sky as well just wanted opinions on here first. Thanks. 

[Mark39]

TV essentials is only needed if they want a Sky TV subscription, or to watch existing recordings on their Sky set top box. If they don't want any form of Sky TV they can cancel.

Like most providers, Sky don't provide solely a telephone service. It's bundled and priced with broadband.

Sky do have a social tariff but PIP isn't a qualifying benefit: https://www.sky.com/help/articles/sky-social-tariff

The Pay as you Talk phone package is standard with the social tariff. I don't know if it's possible to add Anytime+. On the basis that they'd be paying Sky more, I imagine it would be. 

[caesarome]

They can cancel the TV package (31 days notice required) but they will need to kee p the broadband as they can't just have a landline phone service without it.

Have you thought about getting them a cheap pay monthly mobile and sim ?

[Luna81]

Thank you both for your kind replies. 

I was told that I couldn't cancel the whole TV package as it was cheaper keeping it but they're paying that money for that when they don't want the TV part of the sky deal, they just want the landline and basic broadband. They can watch TV via Freeview. 

I've tried with the mobile phone, I've got them both one but my mum now can't use it due to her mobility issues and my dad keeps it turned off unless he needs it and doesn't like it, he keeps it for emergencies but wants the landline. 

I'm going to be phoning sky this afternoon, I just wanted to get some advice before doing so this time as they have a knack of confusing me on the phone and I'm not sure what is true or not. 

[Luna81]

Also, when I had to agree to this new deal, I have 31 days to cancel don't I or change it? I really can't have them stuck in a contract this high for that long. 

[Mark39]

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@Luna81 wrote:

Also, when I had to agree to this new deal, I have 31 days to cancel don't I or change it? I really can't have them stuck in a contract this high for that long. 

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I've never been able to establish that that's the case, actually. It's not a new contract in the legal sense. It's the same contract, but you're accepting a new discount offer, subject to a minimum term. I'd check with Sky on that.