Thousands of BT customers could be owed compensation

If you've been a BT customer, you could be in line for compensation, and you might not even know it.

BT has admitted it overcharged tens of thousands of landline-only customers, some of whom may have been paying too much for years. Now, as part of a new compensation scheme, refunds could be worth hundreds of pounds per person.

Here’s what’s happened – and how to check if you’re due money back.

Why are BT customers getting compensation?

Back in 2017, the UK telecoms watchdog Ofcom ruled that BT had been charging unfair prices to landline-only customers, many of whom were older or vulnerable.

Although BT agreed to cut prices going forward, it didn’t offer compensation to people who had already been overcharged. That led to a legal challenge – and now, a proposed £470 million compensation scheme is moving forward.

A tribunal has ruled the case can go to full trial, but the group behind the claim is confident it’ll win. If they do, around 3 million BT customers could receive a payout.

How much could I get?

If you were affected, the average payout is expected to be around £500, but some customers could get even more.

Who’s eligible?

You might qualify if:

• You were a BT landline-only customer at any point between October 2015 and April 2018
• You didn’t have BT broadband as part of your package during that time

This mainly affects older customers who stayed loyal to BT and didn’t switch to bundle deals.

Do I need to do anything now?

You can register your interest at landlineclaim.co.uk to make sure you stay updated. If the claim is successful, you’ll be contacted about how to claim your compensation.

It’s completely free to join the claim. And you don’t need to use a solicitor or claims management company.