CPI Plus 3.9% Guide

Our guide will take you through the what, when and how of CPI plus 3.9% price increases and if they apply to you.

Will these price increases apply to me?

These price increases apply to all John Lewis Broadband customers.

What's CPI?

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rate is a figure released by the Office for National Statistics. The CPI is used for purposes such as uprating pensions, wages and benefits and can help in the understanding of inflation on family budgets. CPI measures the average price change as a percentage for a basket of 700 different goods and services which households buy.

What prices will increase by CPI plus 3.9%?

Our broadband, line rental, call plans and some call charges will go up in price in line with CPI plus 3.9% on or after 1st March every year from March 2022.

How will the CPI plus 3.9% price increases work?

On or after 1st March every year from March 2022, we'll take the CPI percentage rate published by the Office for National Statistics in January of that year and add an extra 3.9% to the rate. We'll increase the monthly price of broadband, line rental, call plans and call charges by the total percentage figure.

If the published CPI figure is negative, we'll only increase your prices by 3.9% in the relevant year.

Where you buy more than one service from us and each is subject to the price increase, the amount of the increase is calculated on each service separately. If you receive a discount on your price, the increase will be applied to this amount.

Here's an example to show how the price rise works.

Let's say:

You have John Lewis Unlimited Fibre Broadband and line rental and the price of your package is made up of:

  • John Lewis Unlimited Fibre Broadband - £26.11 per month
  • Line rental - £20.31 per month
  • Anytime call plan £6.86 per month
    Your total monthly = £53.28.
  • The CPI rate published in January 2023 is 2.0%
  • The CPI rate published in January 2024 is 1.2%
Monthly price up to March 2023 £53.28
Monthly price from March 2023 to Feb 2024 £56.42

John Lewis Unlimited Fibre Broadband £26.11 per month plus 5.9% (the 2.0% CPI rate published in January 2023 plus 3.9%)

= £26.11 x 5.9% = £1.54

£26.11 + £1.54 = £27.65 per month

Line rental £20.31 per month plus 5.9% (the 2.0% CPI rate published in January 2023 plus 3.9%)

£20.31 x 5.9% = £1.20

£20.31 + £1.20 = £21.51 per month

Anytime call plan £6.86 per month plus 5.9% (the 2.0% CPI rate published in January 2023 plus 3.9%)

£6.86 x 5.9% = £0.40

£6.86 + £0.40 = £7.26 per month



Total monthly price:

£27.65 + £21.51 + £7.26 = £56.42

Some call charges will also increase in price. See What about changes to call charges? for more details.
Monthly price from March 2024 to Feb 2025 £59.30

John Lewis Unlimited Fibre Broadband £27.65 per month plus 5.1% (the 1.2% CPI rate published in January 2024 plus 3.9%)

£27.65 x 5.1% = £1.41

£27.65 + £1.41 = £29.06 per month

Line rental £21.51 per month plus 5.1% (the 1.2% CPI rate published in January 2024 plus 3.9%)

£21.51 x 5.1% = £1.10

£21.51 + £1.10 = £22.61 per month

Anytime call plan £7.26 per month plus 5.1% (the 1.2% CPI rate published in January 2024 plus 3.9%)

£7.26 x 5.1% = £0.37

£7.26 + £0.37 = £7.64 per month



Total monthly price:

£29.06 + £22.61 + £7.64 = £59.30

Some call charges will also increase in price. See What about changes to call charges? for more details.

When will you tell me my prices are going up?

We'll need to wait for the CPI rate to be published each January to work out how it will change your price. We'll aim to let you know before we increase our prices.

What about changes to call charges?

Some call charges will go up in price in line with CPI plus 3.9% on or after 1st March every year from March 2022. Please see our Price Guide for details.

Here's an example to show how call charge price increases work:

A call to 01, 02 and 03 costs: 26.30p set up fee and 16.00p pence per minute rate.

Price up to March 2023 26.30p set up fee

16.00p pence per minute rate
Price from March 2023 to Feb 2024 27.85p set up fee

16.94p pence per minute rate

Worked out as follows:

Set up fee 26.30p per call plus 5.9% (the 2.0% CPI rate published in January 2023 plus 3.9%)

= 26.30p x 5.9% = 1.55p

26.30p + 1.55p = 27.85p set up fee



Pence per minute rate 16.00p plus 5.9% (the 2.0% CPI rate published in January 2023 plus 3.9%)

= 16.00p x 5.9% = 0.94p

16.00p + 0.94p = 16.94p pence per minute rate
Monthly price from March 2024 to Feb 2025 29.27p set up fee

17.80p pence per minute rate

Worked out as follows:

Set up fee 27.85p per call plus 5.1% (the 1.2% CPI rate published in January 2024 plus 3.9%)

= 27.85p x 5.1% = 1.42p

27.85p + 1.42p = 29.27p set up fee



Pence per minute rate 16.94p plus 5.1% (the 1.2% CPI rate published in January 2024 plus 3.9%)

= 16.94p x 5.1% = 0.86p

16.94p + 0.86p = 17.80p pence per minute rate

What about changes to early termination charges?

Early termination charges will also be subject to CPI plus 3.9% price rises on or after 1st March every year from March 2022.

Please see our Price Guide for details.

Can I cancel my contract because of these changes?

If we're only putting up the price of broadband, line rental, call plans and call charges in line with the CPI plus 3.9% and you choose to cancel because of that, you'll still need to pay any early termination charges if you're still within your minimum term. This is because the amount we can increase your price by is fixed to any increase in CPI plus 3.9% and we'll have made the price increase clear when you signed up and you'll have agreed to it in our terms and conditions.

If we put up our prices for any other reason though, you might be able to end your contract early without paying any charges.

For your information

John Lewis Broadband is provided by Plusnet plc.

John Lewis Broadband is a trading name of John Lewis plc, but the services are provided by Plusnet and the contract for these services is between you and Plusnet plc.

Broadband and Fibre Broadband

To sign up to one of John Lewis Broadband's services, you will also have to sign up to John Lewis Broadband Phone, both on a 12-month contract. John Lewis Broadband Phone includes the Evening and Weekend† call plan as standard. You can choose to take one of our other call plans at an additional monthly charge.

*Broadband speed is described as 'average download speed of 10Mb' and 'average upload speed of 1Mb' as it is based on speed available to at least 50% of customers at peak time (8-10pm). Your actual speed will be dependent on your location, phone line, home wiring, wifi connection and time of day. Find out why speeds vary. Check your speed and products available at your location at www.johnlewisbroadband.com.

*Fibre broadband speed is described as'average download speed of 36Mb' and 'average upload speed of 9Mb' on Fibre and 'average download speed of 66Mb' and 'average upload speed of 18Mb' on Fibre Extra as it is based on speed available to at least 50% of customers at peak time (8-10pm). Your actual speed will be dependent on your location, phone line, home wiring, wifi connection and time of day. Find out why speeds vary. Check your speed and products available at your location at www.johnlewisbroadband.com.

Our broadband contracts: You must sign-up to a 12-month contract for one of the broadband services (John Lewis Broadband Unlimited, Fibre or Fibre Extra) and John Lewis Broadband Phone. If you choose to end either or both services within the minimum period, you will have to pay an early termination charge by way of compensation for ending your service(s) early. This charge depends on your monthly price and the length of time remaining in your minimum term. How we calculate these charges is set out in the Price Guide.

Phone

To sign up to the John Lewis Broadband Phone service, you will also have to sign up to one of the broadband services (John Lewis Broadband Unlimited, Fibre or Fibre Extra), both on a 12-month contract. If you choose to end either or both services within the minimum period, you will have to pay an early termination charge by way of compensation for ending your service(s) early. This charge depends on your monthly price and the length of time remaining in your minimum term. How we calculate these charges is set out in the Price Guide.

John Lewis Broadband Phone includes the Evening and Weekend† call plan as standard. You can choose to take one of the other call plans at an additional monthly charge. If you need a new phone line installing at your property, there is a £49.99 installation charge (excluding external construction charges). Details on the available call plans are set out below:-

†Call Plans

Evening and Weekend calls: Means calls to UK landlines beginning with 01, 02, 03, 0845 and 0870 made Monday-Friday 19:00-07:00 and anytime Saturday or Sunday (except calls to indirect access numbers (which include calling cards), dial-up Internet access and calls longer than 60 minutes). Calls must be started and finished within these times to be inclusive (non-chargeable) and any call that lasts more than 60 minutes will be chargeable. A fair usage limit of 150 calls or 1000 minutes a month (whichever is reached first) applies to calls to 0845 and 0870 numbers. (if you exceed this limit, we have the right to charge you for further calls made, suspend and/or terminate your service in accordance with our terms and conditions). Our Evening and Weekend call plan is included as standard when you take John Lewis Broadband Phone.

Anytime calls: Means calls to UK landlines beginning with 01, 02, 03, 0845 and 0870 at anytime (except calls to indirect access numbers (which include calling cards), dial-up Internet access and calls longer than 60 minutes). Anytime also includes a 25% discount on calls to the top 35 international destinations. A fair usage limit of 150 calls or 1000 minutes a month (whichever is reached first) applies to calls to 0845 and 0870 numbers. (if you exceed this limit, we have the right to charge you for further calls made, suspend and/or terminate your service in accordance with our terms and conditions). Our Anytime call plan costs £6.86 a month.

Anytime and International: Means calls to UK landlines beginning with 01, 02, 03, 0845 and 0870 at anytime (except calls to indirect access numbers (which includes calling cards), dial-up Internet access and calls longer than 60 minutes). Hang up and re-dial before 60 minutes (local) and you won't be charged. Anytime and International also provides 300 inclusive minutes per month to the top 35 international destinations and a 25% discount on any further calls made to those 35 destinations over this amount within the month. Hang up and re-dial before 30 minutes on international calls, whilst in your inclusive minutes, and you won't be charged. A fair usage limit of 150 calls or 1000 minutes a month (whichever is reached first) applies to calls to 0845 and 0870 numbers. (if you exceed this limit, we have the right to charge you for further calls made, suspend and/or terminate your service in accordance with our terms and conditions). Our Anytime and International call plan costs £9.15 a month.

Mobile Bolt-on: Unlimited calls to UK mobile and 070 personal numbering services, hang up and re-dial before 60 minutes and you won't be charged. Mobile Bolt-on is available only to Anytime and Anytime and International call plan customers. A fair usage limit of 150 calls or 1000 minutes (whichever is reached first) a month applies to calls to 070 personal numbering services. If you exceed this limit, we have the right to charge you for further calls made, suspend and/or terminate your service in accordance with our terms and conditions. A Mobile Bolt-on costs £5.00 a month.

Service calls outside of your inclusive minutes: The charge for calls to service numbers beginning 084, 087, 09 and 118 consists of a 9.58p per minute access charge from John Lewis Broadband, plus a service charge set by the company you called. For all John Lewis Broadband Phone pricing, please see our Price Guide.