topic Re: Pounds and Pence price increase in Contracts & Billing

Pounds and Pence price increase

MGSteve — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 11:57:15 GMT

I've just had the email through about the price increase from March. I have 3 sim-only accounts with EE and have since around 2020, so all out of the tie-in period.

It appears that EE have changed the way they are increasing prices, away from the CPI+ 3.9% (roughly 7% total it appears) to a flat, in my case, £2.50 a line.

However, when I work out the price under the old system, it would have 'only' gone up by 95p. So under the 'clearer for the customer' increase, they've also more than doubled the increase.

I'm not sure how they can retrospectively change a contract I've agreed to - sure, I'm out of the tie-in, but that doesn't give them the ability to change T&Cs I agreed to without my consent.

I think it's about time I changed providers, but this post is just an FYI - check it out for yourself and if you'll on more than a £35(ish) a month contract, you will be paying more under these changes. As mine are sim only, 2 are around £14 and the one is mid £20s, the fixed price increase is more than the old system.

Re: Pounds and Pence price increase

bristolian — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 12:08:49 GMT

You can partly thank Ofcom, the industry regulator, for this. When double-digit inflation hit, the resultant price increases attracted a lot of complaints, and the answer is apparently to "simplify" this to fixed-price increases to provide customers with certainty.

You're absolutely right that this inevitably penalises lower-priced plans to a greater extent. The answer to how an operator can change your plan is that you are long-since out of your minimum-term, but if you weren't then 30days notice can be served penalty-free.

There are numerous providers out there who make PR out of no-price-rises, but they may well have drawbacks elsewhere, which naturally they won't highlight.

Re: Pounds and Pence price increase

XRaySpeX — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 13:03:40 GMT

The Pounds and Pence price increase should only apply to contracts (incl. upgrades) taken out since about Nov. 2024. Had you upgraded any of your plans since then? Otherwise for contracts taken out before about Nov 2024 (& not changed) the CPI+ price increase should still apply.

Re: Pounds and Pence price increase

bristolian — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 13:10:49 GMT

@XRaySpeX wrote:
The Pounds and Pence price increase should only apply to contracts (incl. upgrades) taken out since about Nov. 2024.

There are moves to shift legacy customers from percentage-based increases to flat-rate ones - https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2026/01/bt-and-ee-to-shift-legacy-uk-customers-to-pounds-and-pence-pricing-policy.html

A relative who "received" a change of ownership plan that was easily 7-8 years old, but took it over April or so 2025, has received notification of flat-rate. All 3 of mine pre-date the 2024 cutoff and I've not received anything.... yet.

Re: Pounds and Pence price increase

cassmtf — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 13:12:23 GMT

All mine pre-date 2024 but I got an email that EE is moving the numbers. "For all of your numbers, we’ve moved you to our latest pounds and pence terms."

Re: Pounds and Pence price increase

MGSteve — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 13:49:07 GMT

@XRaySpeX wrote:
Otherwise for contracts taken out before about Nov 2024 (& not changed) the CPI+ price increase should still apply.

That's categorically incorrect, sadly. The lady in the complaints team said that it applied to everyone, even those on out of lock-in contracts.

Clearly EE want to purge their old longstanding customers, which is a shame.

Re: Pounds and Pence price increase

garybs29 — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 14:40:57 GMT

Yes they can change the t&c's, it's written into them. They have to give you the right to leave though as well so if they are no issues

Re: Pounds and Pence price increase

TheMog — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 16:56:59 GMT

I have two numbers and I was bothered by the Monthly Increase...

Monthly Increase £1.74
Monthly Increase £2.50

Does this mean that EE will increase the bill every month by those amounts?
if so, it will add £50 to my bill each year!

Re: Pounds and Pence price increase

XRaySpeX — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 18:01:48 GMT

@TheMog : These increases are not cumulative. It means what you'll pay this year (after 31 Mar.) will be those amounts more than what you paid before. But it does add about £50 to your bills in total over the year.

Re: Pounds and Pence price increase

TheMog — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 17:41:57 GMT

Thanks Xray for putting my mind at rest! So they better re-word that to Annual Increase.

Re: Pounds and Pence price increase

cassmtf — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 17:44:00 GMT

Is there a way EE can be requested to put it back on inflation based price increase instead of pounds/pence terms? Any idea?

Re: Pounds and Pence price increase

Colstalex — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 17:46:24 GMT

Your bill will £4.24 higher each month than it was in the previous 12 months, so that will be £50.88 more spread over a whole 12 months.

Re: Pounds and Pence price increase

Matt_124 — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 17:50:07 GMT

No im afraid it seems to be an alignment of all terms going forward in response to Ofcoms intervention around inflation-linked price changes.

It looks to be an effort to have one set of Annual Price Change T&Cs for all plans (with the exception of PAYG & Social Tariffs). Individual exemptions unlikely.

Re: Pounds and Pence price increase

XRaySpeX — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 17:59:50 GMT

@TheMog : They do: About annual price changes

Re: Pounds and Pence price increase

bristolian — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 18:04:25 GMT

@cassmtf wrote:
Is there a way EE can be requested to put it back on inflation based price increase instead of pounds/pence terms?

You can partly thank Ofcom, the industry regulator, for this.

There were so many customer complaints about inflation-linked rises when there was double-digit inflation, apparently customers wanted price certainty and simplicity....

This is the result.

Re: Pounds and Pence price increase

cassmtf — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 18:19:15 GMT

Pound/Pence terms - Its okay during high inflation years but once inflation is back to normal (3 or 4%) its not ideal. EE said they can offer a £9 per month sim plan with 125gb data on 24 month contract. But again the price increases £2.50 every year. This is 30% increase and not acceptable at all.

Re: Pounds and Pence price increase

Colstalex — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 18:26:24 GMT

Not that long ago EE were offering me a £10 sim only deal, would have gone up 50% within 16 months of the start date. £10 to £12.50 four months later then to £15 a year after that. I am sure my employer will do the same.

Re: Pounds and Pence price increase

Chris_B — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 18:37:35 GMT

@bristolian My tariff from October 2023 has been shifted over to the flat rate fee as have my other 2 from march 2024.

only one of these march contracts is still in the contract term but all 3 can terminate without charge. Well obviously 2 are no charge because there past the minimum term.

as long as it 30 days notice to be informed of the contract change then EE are doing it correctly as stated within the T&Cs of the contract.

Re: Pounds and Pence price increase

cassmtf — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 18:32:09 GMT

Ye, its pathetic and that too most EE Sim contracts are 24 months. I believe time to change to a new provider.

Re: Pounds and Pence price increase

zulu17 — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 18:35:36 GMT

seems to be a government approach as they wrote to the CEO on 25 Novemnber2025

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/telecoms-consumer-protection-letter-from-the-chancellor-and-dsit-secretary-of-state-to-ceos/telecoms-consumer-protection-letter-from-the-chancellor-and-dsit-secretary-of-state-to-ceos

"We are asking you to reinforce your commitment to treating customers fairly, including by confirming customers under contract will not face price rises beyond those that they signed up to. We would also like you to take proactive steps to move legacy customers onto the pounds and pence approach for price communications with no impact on the timing of planned price increases."