Mid-Contract Price Rises: What Are Your Rights Under Ofcom's New Rules?

Mid-contract price rises have been one of the most frustrating parts of mobile and broadband contracts in the UK. You sign up thinking you know what you'll pay, then a few months later the bill goes up — often blamed on "inflation" or a percentage formula buried in the small print.

Ofcom has now stepped in with new rules designed to make pricing clearer and fairer. If you're signing a new contract or renewing an existing one, you should see fewer nasty surprises — and you'll be in a stronger position to challenge unexpected increases.

What changed: Ofcom's 2025 reforms in plain English

Ofcom's reforms (introduced for new and renewed contracts) are aimed at stopping confusing, open-ended price rise clauses.

The key shift is simple:

• Providers can no longer rely on inflation-linked or percentage-based mid-contract price rises in new contracts.
• If a provider plans to increase prices during your minimum term, they must tell you exactly how much the increase will be in pounds and pence.
• They must also be clear about when that increase will happen.

In other words, pricing has to be understandable at the point you sign up — not something you only discover when your bill changes.

Why inflation-linked rises were a problem

Inflation-linked clauses often worked like this: "Your monthly price will rise each year by CPI (or RPI) plus X%."

That sounds tidy, but in practice it created three big issues:

1. You couldn't predict the real cost when you signed up, because inflation changes.
2. The maths wasn't always obvious, especially when combined with extra percentages.
3. It made comparison shopping harder — two deals could look similar on day one but end up very different after a year.

Ofcom's view is that customers should be able to understand the total likely cost of a contract up front, without needing to guess what inflation will do.

What customers can expect now

If you're taking out a new contract or renewing, a compliant contract should make price changes clear and specific.

Here's what you should expect to see:

• A fixed price increase amount (for example, "Your monthly plan will increase by £1.50").
• A clear date or timing (for example, "This will happen on 1 April 2026" or "after month 6").
• No inflation-based formulas (no "CPI + 3.9%" style wording).
• No vague wording that leaves the provider free to decide later.

This doesn't mean prices can never go up. It means that if they will go up during your minimum term, the provider needs to be transparent about it.

How to spot a compliant contract (quick checklist)

When you're comparing providers, look for these signs of compliance:

• The contract shows any planned increase in pounds and pence.
• The contract tells you when it will happen.
• The contract does not rely on inflation or a percentage formula.
• The contract wording is clear enough that you could explain it to someone else.

If you see phrases like "we may increase the price" without a specific amount and timing, treat that as a red flag. Under the new approach, providers should not be relying on unclear clauses in new and renewed contracts.

What are your rights if your price goes up unexpectedly?

Your rights depend on what you agreed to and whether the provider followed the contract terms.

1) If the increase was clearly stated up front

If your contract clearly stated "your price will increase by £X on date Y," then the provider is doing what you agreed to. You may not have the right to leave penalty-free just because the increase happened — because it was part of the deal.

That's exactly why Ofcom wants the increase stated clearly: so you can make an informed decision before you commit.

2) If the increase was not clearly stated, or the provider changes the rules

If your provider increases your price in a way that wasn't set out clearly in your contract (or the increase doesn't match what was stated), you may have grounds to challenge it.

Practical steps:

1. Check your contract and the price rise notice. Look for the exact clause they're relying on.
2. Ask the provider to explain the increase in writing. Keep records.
3. Make a formal complaint if the explanation doesn't match the contract.
4. Escalate if needed. If you're not satisfied, you can take the complaint further through the provider's complaints process and then to an approved Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme.

The big point: if the provider can't point to a clear, compliant term that you agreed to, they're on shaky ground.

What this means for SIM-only and PAYG customers

A lot of the frustration around mid-contract rises comes from long minimum terms. SIM-only deals can still have minimum terms, but many customers now prefer flexible options.

With PAYG, you're not locked into a long contract — so the "mid-contract" issue is much less of a trap. You stay because the value is good, not because you're stuck.

That's one reason more people are moving to straightforward, contract-free mobile options.

Where 1pMobile fits in: simple pricing, no surprises

At 1pMobile, we've always believed pricing should be clear enough to understand in one read.

Our approach lines up with the direction Ofcom is pushing the market:

• No inflation-linked price rises written into contracts.
• No percentage-based formulas that make it hard to predict what you'll pay.
• Straightforward pricing you can check any time.

If you're on our PAYG tariff, the pricing is simple: 1p per minute, 1p per text, 1p per MB.

If you choose a 30-day Boost, you're choosing a clear, upfront price for that period. No hidden "CPI + X%" surprises.

What to do before you sign up (or renew)

If you take one thing from Ofcom's changes, make it this: don't accept vague pricing.

Before you commit, ask:

• Will the price change during my minimum term?
• If yes, how much in pounds and pence, and when?
• Is the increase fixed, or linked to inflation/percentages?
• Where is this written in the contract or key information?

If the provider can't answer clearly, that's your cue to keep shopping.

Bottom line: clearer rules, better deals, more control

Ofcom's new rules are a win for consumers. They don't stop all price rises, but they stop the most confusing kind — the ones you can't predict when you sign up.

If you want to avoid mid-contract surprises entirely, choose a provider that keeps pricing simple and puts customers in control.

That's the standard we aim for at 1pMobile: transparent, contract-free options, and pricing that doesn't rely on fine print.