Pre-2017 almost all ISPs (Internet service providers) offered some form of discount if you paid for your line rental in advance. Fast forward to 2023 and you will now find very few telephone providers offering a pre-payment discount. Direct Save Telecom is the last remaining provider that still offers a discount.
As of the 21st July 2023 BT has discontinued the option to pay your phone line rental in advance. Following this BT customers will now be charged the standard line rental charge of £26.35 per month.
BT might be the largest UK telecoms provider but they're not the cheapest. So it's worth considering other options. Switching to Direct Save Telecom could reduce your phone line rental to £22.95.
The cost of phone line rental is constantly on the increase and typically bundled within the cost of your broadband package. However, despite the increases, there are still ways that you can save money on your telephone bill. If you regularly use your landline, don't pay for your phone calls on a 'pay as you go' plan. Almost all telephone providers offer a heavily discounted call plan to bundle 'Evening & Weekend' calls or 'Anytime' calls. Calling plans typically include calls to UK landlines starting 01,02,03 and 0870. Calls to mobiles and international numbers may not be included. Direct Save Telecom offers a UK mobile and landline calling plan for £5.95 per month, the equivalent from BT is £8.
Compare home phone line rental prices
We have updated the table below to reflect the current home phone line rental charges for August 2023
| Line rental saver | Line rental | Calling plan | |
|---|---|---|---|
| BT | Discontinued 21st July 2023 | Now £26.35 per month | Pay as you go calls | 700 minutes anytime calling plan £8.00 |
| Direct Save Telecom | Yes | £22.95 per month or £20.83 with line rental saver | Pay as you go calls | 700 minutes anytime calling plan £5.95 |
| EE | Discontinued | No line rental only option | Phone and broadband bundle from £24.00 | Unlimited anytime calling plan £8.00 |
| Now TV | No | No line rental only option | Phone and broadband bundle from £20.00 | Evening and Weekend plan £4 per month | Unlimited anytime calling plan £8.00 |
| Plusnet | Discontinued | No line rental only option | Phone and broadband bundle from £24.99 | Evening and Weekend plan £6.53 per month | Unlimited anytime calling plan £11.76 |
| Sky | No | No line rental only option | Phone and broadband bundle from £25.00 | Evening and Weekend plan £5.75 per month | Unlimited anytime calling plan £13.50 |
| TalkTalk | Discontinued | No line rental only option | Phone and broadband bundle from £26.00 | Evening and Weekend plan £8 per month | Unlimited anytime calling plan £12.00 |
| Virgin Media | Discontinued | £19.00 | Inclusive weekend calls to landlines and Virgin Media mobiles included. | Unlimited anytime calling plan £10.00 |
| Zen | No | £16.99 | Unlimited anytime calling plan £6.51 per month |
When comparing phone line rental prices
When comparing phone line rental prices, remember that most ISP's have stopped offering inclusive evening and weekend calls with their phone line rental. So, the cost of adding a call plan may mean that you end up paying more for your home phone package.
Virgin Media still offer free inclusive calls.. The maximum free call duration can also vary, so look out for that.
If you're looking for a low-cost home phone provider with cheap calling plans, we'd recommend you take a look at Direct Save Telecom or Zen who offer phone line rental for £16.99 per month.Compare Broadband Deals