UK homes must check their landlines now - ignoring new advice may prove costly

With bills increasing and the cost of living crisis still hurting wallets many homes are looking for ways to cut down on their monthly outgoings. Switching broadband and mobile plans is good place to start but there's another option that can shave some pounds off of those direct debits.

Millions of us still included on our broadband packages and although some still rely on this ageing technology to call friends and family, many simply aren't getting enough use out of them to warrant the cost.

According to the team at , ditching the landline could save some homes around £50 per year.

Go.Compare says that the average cost of a broadband package sits at around £27 per month. But since 2020, the average cost of a bundle with a landline has increased by more than £5, from just under £25 in 2020 to around £31 in 2025.

It's a sizeable issue that's affecting more people than you might think. New stats suggest that around 21.4 million adults have a landline today, with the majority of these being included in a broadband package.

Yet, only around a quarter of these users say they actually use their home phone regularly.

With most now owning a smartphone, a lot of calls are being made via broadband-connected services such as and Apple's . These platforms are totally free to use and simply need internet access or a mobile connection to work.

If you don't think you are making any calls using your landline, it's worth checking with your provider to see if switching it off can save you money.

Some plans will be cheaper when moving over to a broadband-only connection, although this isn't always the case, so it's vital to shop around and see what's available.

Speaking about the issue, Matt Sanders, broadband expert at Go.Compare, said: "Lots of households still need home phones to contact loved ones, but we are seeing this slowly decline as people rely more on mobiles and online communication. If you're someone who doesn't use the landline but are paying for it as part of your broadband package, it could be worth your while to ditch it altogether.

"This is because, over the past few years, we have seen more of a difference in price between broadband packages with and without a landline included. So, even if it's only worth a few quid each month, you could consider taking it off your contract and save a little on your monthly bill.

"But, before you unplug your phone line, it's important to compare broadband packages and find out what will work better for you. In some cases, deals that include a landline can actually be cheaper for users, but this depends entirely on the provider and all the details of your deal."