Broadband with no credit check

People with a poor credit record may be worried or unsure if they'll be approved for a broadband deal if the provider requires they pass a credit check.

However, there are providers, including Plusnet and Direct Save Telecom, who offer broadband with no credit check.

These deals can offer needed accessibility for those with past credit problems, however other providers may not be completely out of reach either, especially if the customer is able to pay a security deposit.

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At a glance: broadband without a credit check

Plusnet and Direct Save Telecom both offer broadband deals to customers without requiring them to pass a credit check. Direct Save Telecom also offer home phone deals without a credit check, while Plusnet only offer broadband services.

Here is the latest pricing on those deals:

However, as we'll explore more throughout this guide, people with a poor credit history don't necessarily have to limit themselves to just these two providers.

Credit checks for broadband packages are not as strict as those undertaken when applying for financial products like loans or credit cards, so most people will have a good chance of being accepted.

In addition, even if someone fails a broadband credit check they may still be able to take the package by paying a security deposit. Alternatively, the provider may just limit the products available to them, for example, barring outgoing calls on a home phone line.

It's also worth being aware some providers, such as BT, Sky, Vodafone and EE will be more lenient for customers ordering a broadband and phone service, but stricter when it comes to additional services like premium TV or a mobile phone contract.

For example, they'll often only carry out a 'soft check' for broadband and phone, while TV and mobile services required a 'hard check', where the footprint of a search is recorded.

In addition, any households in receipt of Universal Credit, or other means-tested benefits, can apply for a social broadband tariff, which are exempt from credit checks.

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Broadband providers with no credit check

People who know they can't afford to pay a security deposit upfront may want to consider a broadband provider who doesn't run a credit check at all.

However, in this instance the options are more limited, with only two providers in the market offering fixed line home broadband with no credit check.

Plusnet

Plusnet don't credit check customers signing up to one of their home broadband deals.

Here are their latest home broadband deals:

Payments for Plusnet broadband can be made by Direct Debit, credit or debit card, with the provider accepting Visa, Delta, Electron, MasterCard, Switch or Maestro.

If customers do go on to miss a payment, Plusnet will send reminders at five and ten days. After 14 days they will suspend internet access to just their payment page, and charge customers a call bar charge of £5.76 plus an administration fee of £7.50.

After 49 days of non-payment Plusnet will close the account, and customers may be subject to early termination charges added to the amount they owe.

Overall, Plusnet are less strict than Direct Save Telecom for late payments, but it's still vitally important to be sure you can afford to keep up with payments for the length of the contract period.

Read more in our review of Plusnet broadband.

Direct Save Telecom

Direct Save Telecom are very clear that they don't carrying out credit checks on phone and/or broadband customers, although there are some caveats to be aware of.

First though, here is the latest pricing for Direct Save broadband deals:

The terms applied by Direct Save Telecom in order for them to offer broadband without a credit check include:

• Customers need to pay their first invoice upfront and this usually includes a partial month, plus the next full month, as Direct Save bill every customer from the 7th
• If a phone line needs reactivating, for example if it was cut off due to failure to pay a bill, there is a £39.95 charge
• Broadband and phone bills must be paid by Direct Debit or recurring card payment

These may be deal breakers for customers who need to reconnect their phone line but who can't afford any upfront fees, or for those who don't have the ability to pay by Direct Debit.

It's also worth noting Direct Save Telecom have a fairly strict debt management policy, that charges £14.95 if a payment fails, this is then attempted again 7 days later. If a payment isn't collected after 7 days Direct Save will suspend the account, and at 14 days the account is closed with any early termination charges added. At 28 days of non-payment Direct Save pass the amount owing to a debt collection agency with a 20% surcharge.

Overall, Direct Save Telecom do offer broadband without a credit check, but their non-payment terms are very strict and so customers should be sure they can afford the services.

Read more about Direct Save Telecom broadband in our review.

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Broadband providers with a soft credit check

BT, Sky, Virgin Media and TalkTalk, all carry out credit checks when applying for broadband as a new customers. This also now applies to NOW Broadband as new contracts are now 'powered by Sky'.

However, they each have their own criteria and TalkTalk, for example, are well known for being more accepting of poor credit histories.

BT and Virgin Media are also less likely to reject a new customer outright due to bad credit, but may ask for a security deposit upfront instead, so they can use this money if you miss a payment.

As we've mentioned, it's also the case that for those with a poor credit history, only applying for a broadband or broadband and phone deal is the best option, as providers tend to have stricter credit checking criteria for premium TV and mobile deals, including those in a bundle.

BT

BT carry out a soft credit search for new customers applying for a broadband deal, and this becomes a hard search if customers want to bundle their TV service too.

However, as the UK's incumbent and largest ISP, BT are less likely to turn away those with even a bad credit history, and will instead ask for a security deposit in case of missed payments, and may restrict outgoing calls if a phone service is also taken.

Here are BT's current broadband only deals, a phone line can be added for an extra £5 per month:

BT also offer a range of social broadband tariffs called Home Essentials, which aren't subject to a credit check but do require customers to be recipients of certain benefits.

Read our review of BT broadband here.

Sky

Sky charge all new broadband customers a £5 refundable fee which is used to cover the cost of a credit search and is refunded against a customer's first bill.

Broadband customers will only be subject to a soft search, which doesn't leave a footprint or affect credit score.

Sky currently have some of the cheapest broadband deals though, so may be worth a look if your credit history isn't too bad:

Sky broadband can be paid by Direct Debit, recurring card payment, or online payments. They only accept Visa or MasterCard however.

Read more in our review of Sky broadband.

NOW Broadband

Since June 2024, NOW Broadband is now powered by Sky, which means all new customers are handled by Sky and fall under their terms and conditions.

This means, details for credit checks and payment are also mirrored with Sky, including the refundable £5 setup fee to cover the cost of a credit search.

Here are the latest prices for NOW Broadband:

NOW Broadband offer some of the most competitively priced broadband packages in the UK, although going with Sky directly can sometimes be even cheaper.

Read more in our NOW Broadband review.

Virgin Media

Virgin Media will credit check new customers, however, those that fail may well be offered the option of paying a security deposit. It's also worthwhile considering if you can manage with just a broadband-only plan as these may be easier to be accepted for.

Virgin Media also offer two Essential Broadband plans for those in receipt of Universal Credit or other means tested benefit. These plans are open to new customers, provide access to Virgin Media Flex TV, and don't require a credit check.

Read more about Virgin Media broadband.

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No contract broadband

Rebel Internet, Hyperoptic, BeFibre and Brsk, all offer broadband with a short one month rolling contract.

This means customers can cancel their service with just one month's notice and avoid any early termination charges if they become unable to pay for their package.

Here are some of those deals:

However, Rebel Internet (available Nationwide), Hyperoptic, BeFibre and Brsk, all make clear in their terms and conditions that they carry out a credit check on new customers.

Of these four, only Rebel Internet says that customers who don't pass the check can choose to pay a security deposit instead.

It's worth being aware broadband without a contract often comes with upfront fees, as well as potentially more expensive monthly costs.

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Credit-check free broadband alternatives

Pay as you go mobile broadband is an alternative option for people wanting to get online without passing a credit check, or paying an upfront fee or security deposit.

It's also much more flexible, with customers able to vary their data use each month and therefore how much they're spending, as well as pause the extra outgoings if they need to.

However, pay as you go deals will require either that a customer already has a working dongle they can use, or they'll need to cover the upfront cost of purchasing one.

SIM-only plans are also available credit check free from a number of mobile providers including Lebara, GiffGaff, Smarty, ASDA mobile, and VOXI by Vodafone.

Read more about mobile broadband for the home and how SIM only plans work.

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Why broadband providers carry out credit checks

Credit checks are designed and carried out to help protect a lender, or other provider, from financial risk by allowing them to make a more informed decision about a customer's likelihood to pay their bills.

Credit reports generally include information on how much debt and credit a customer has, alongside a record of any missed or late payments, and whether they've ever had a County Court Judgment for non-payment of debt, or even if they've filed for bankruptcy.

For some people, having to pass a credit report if they've had problems with debt in the past can be incredibly frustrating. Especially for services like broadband which has become such an essential home service.

In addition, while there are options for people in receipt of means-tested benefits like BT Home Essential, even this package requires customers to pass a credit check or they may need to pay an upfront security deposit.

It's worth being aware that while policies between broadband providers vary, and as such, one provider may accept a customer another declines, each application could result in a search footprint being left on a credit record. Too many searches could impact a customer's ability to be accepted.

If you are worried about your credit file, the first step is to access your credit report from one of the leading credit reference agencies.

If your credit report needs improvements, we've a full guide on how to repair a credit rating in 30 days that's worth a read.

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Summary: credit check free options available

In summary then, there are options available for people who don't want to risk needing to pass a credit check and offers from Plusnet and Direct Save Telecom are some of the most competitively priced deals in the UK.

However, do remember, even providers who carry out credit checks these are much less stringent than applying for financial borrowing, and in many cases may just require an upfront security deposit to be paid.

Services like broadband with specific monthly costs may well be more accessible to people with a poor credit history than services that can run up additional costs like mobile phones or home phones. For this reason, some providers may limit outgoing calls on a home phone plan.

The most important thing to keep in mind is ensuring affordability over the length of the contract. Non-payment terms can be strict and so it's better to opt for a more flexible deal, be that no contract broadband or a pay as you go plan, if you think you may need to cancel it at any point.