What are mobile mid-contract price rises?
Mobile mid-contract price rises are the increases your network adds to your monthly bill while you are still tied into your minimum term. For years these were written as vague, inflation-linked percentages, so you signed up without really knowing what you would be paying a year later.
Since January 2025 the rules have changed. New and renewed contracts can no longer use inflation-linked or percentage terms for the core price. Any increase has to be set out in pounds and pence, up front, before you sign. The idea is that your future bill is clear from day one.
That does not mean prices have stopped going up. It means the rise should now be a fixed, known amount rather than a surprise pinned to a figure nobody can predict in advance.
Why has my mobile bill gone up in 2026?
Your bill has most likely gone up because your provider applied its annual price rise, and in 2026 several of the big names did exactly that. Because the amounts are now quoted in pounds and pence, you can usually see the change directly on your bill rather than having to work out a percentage.
O2 raised monthly prices from April 2026 by around £2.50 a month, more than the roughly £1.80 it had earlier set out. Three began moving existing customers onto a pounds and pence approach from 1 April 2026, and Sky Mobile added about £1.50 a month from February 2026, its first in-contract rise in more than seven years.
Not everyone is happy with how the new system is working in practice. Ofcom has said it was disappointed by O2’s decision and is reviewing it, while MoneySavingExpert founder Martin Lewis wrote to MPs arguing that mid-contract rises should be stopped altogether. The debate is live, but for now a rise is allowed as long as it was disclosed in pounds and pence when you signed up. You can read Ofcom’s own explanation of the rules on its mid-contract price rises page. We have also covered the latest on how the 2026 price rise rules are being applied as a separate news piece.
Key takeaways
- Since January 2025, new mobile contracts must state any mid-contract rise in pounds and pence, not as an inflation-linked percentage.
- Rises still happen. O2, Three and Sky Mobile all lifted bills in 2026, just as fixed amounts rather than percentages.
- If a rise is bigger than the amount in your contract, you get 30 days’ notice and can leave penalty free.
- If it matches what you agreed, you are usually stuck until your minimum term ends.
- Out of contract is where the leverage is: switching to SIM-only at that point can save up to around £304 a year (Ofcom).
What are your rights when the price goes up?
Your rights depend on whether the increase matches what you agreed to when you signed. If a provider raises your price beyond the amount written into your contract, it has to give you at least 30 days’ notice and let you leave penalty free.
If the rise is the exact pounds and pence figure you agreed to at sign-up, it counts as part of the deal you accepted. In that case you usually cannot exit early without paying a fee, even though your monthly bill has gone up.
There is one more protection worth knowing about. Providers now have to send you an end-of-contract notification that tells you when your minimum term ends and points you towards their best available deals. Treat that message as your cue to shop around rather than drift onto a higher rate.
How can you cut your mobile bill?
The biggest saving usually arrives once you are out of contract, because that is the point where you can walk away with nothing left to pay. According to Ofcom, moving to a SIM-only deal at the end of a contract can save some people up to around £304 a year, though the exact figure depends on the plan you were on and how much you use.
A few simple steps put you in control:
- Check your contract end date, either in your account app or by asking your provider, so you know when you are free to switch.
- Compare SIM-only deals for the data, calls and texts you actually use, rather than paying for an allowance you never reach.
- To keep your number, text the word PAC to 65075. Your provider should reply within a minute with a code that is valid for 30 days, which you hand to your new network.
- If you would rather stay, call the retentions team. Networks will often match or beat a deal you have found elsewhere to keep you.
If you are weighing up your options, our guide to SIM-only or phone contracts walks through which suits different users, and you can compare live deals on Switcheroo before you commit.
Should you switch to a SIM-only deal?
If you have already paid off your handset, or you are happy to keep the phone you have, a SIM-only deal is usually the cheapest way to stay connected. You are only paying for calls, texts and data, not for a phone you may already own outright.
One-month, rolling SIM-only deals add useful flexibility, because you can switch again whenever a better price comes along. A 12-month SIM-only deal often costs a little less per month and locks in a known amount, which can be reassuring when price rises are in the news.
It is also worth checking whether your phone supports an eSIM, as many newer handsets let you activate a new plan in minutes without waiting for a physical SIM to arrive. And if you travel, factor in roaming, since our guide on how to avoid roaming charges can stop a holiday adding to your bill.
The bottom line on mobile price rises
Mobile mid-contract price rises are now meant to be clear and fixed, but they are still rises, and your bill in 2026 may well be higher than the one you first signed up to. The good news is that the moment your minimum term ends, the balance of power shifts back to you.
Check when your contract ends, see what a SIM-only deal would cost for your real usage, and either switch or use a better offer as leverage to haggle. A few minutes of comparison is often the difference between drifting on an inflated rate and paying a fair price for the same service. Roo’s take: the network is betting you will not check. Prove it wrong once a year and the rises stop mattering.
Frequently asked questions about mobile mid-contract price rises
- Can my mobile network still put my price up mid-contract?
- Yes, but only by the pounds and pence amount stated in your contract when you signed. Inflation-linked percentage rises are banned on contracts taken out since January 2025.
- Can I leave without a fee when the price goes up?
- Only if the rise is bigger than the amount written into your contract. In that case you get at least 30 days’ notice and can exit penalty free. If it matches what you agreed, you normally cannot.
- What if I signed my contract before January 2025?
- Older contracts can still carry inflation-linked terms until they end or are renewed. Check your contract end date and the wording of the price rise clause in your original terms.
- How do I keep my number when I switch?
- Text PAC to 65075. Your provider must send your PAC code within a minute, it stays valid for 30 days, and you give it to the new network when you sign up.
- Is it worth haggling instead of switching?
- Often, yes. Retentions teams will frequently match a competitor’s SIM-only price to keep you, and it saves the hassle of moving. Have a real alternative deal in front of you when you call.
