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    <title>topic Who are TalkTalks &amp;quot;most vulnerable&amp;quot; customers ? in TalkTalk Accessibility</title>
    <link>https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/TalkTalk-Accessibility/Who-are-TalkTalks-quot-most-vulnerable-quot-customers/m-p/3145481#M2</link>
    <description>&lt;P&gt;I have asked this before but never been given a satisfactory answer...&lt;/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;&lt;A href="https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2024/01/broadband-and-mobile-price-hikes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"&gt;https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2024/01/broadband-and-mobile-price-hikes/&lt;/A&gt;&lt;/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;According to MSE - TT refuse to tell them who this applies to - WHY IS THAT ?&lt;/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;TalkTalk doesn’t publish a simple list of who exactly counts as its “most vulnerable customers,” and in some communications (e.g., around price-freeze commitments) it has refused to give detailed criteria for that term. Independent reporting suggests that the company assesses vulnerability &lt;STRONG&gt;on a case-by-case basis&lt;/STRONG&gt; rather than having a strict, public checklist of specific groups.&lt;/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;However, based on TalkTalk’s own &lt;STRONG&gt;Accessibility &amp;amp; Vulnerable Customer Policy&lt;/STRONG&gt; and &lt;STRONG&gt;industry definitions&lt;/STRONG&gt; (including guidance from the UK regulator Ofcom), here’s how “vulnerable” is generally understood in the telecoms context:&lt;/P&gt;&lt;H3&gt;&lt;span class="lia-unicode-emoji" title=":pushpin:"&gt;📌&lt;/span&gt;What TalkTalk includes under “vulnerable customers”&lt;/H3&gt;&lt;P&gt;TalkTalk’s policy says &lt;STRONG&gt;vulnerable customers&lt;/STRONG&gt; are those whose personal circumstances make them &lt;STRONG&gt;“particularly susceptible to harm or detriment.”&lt;/STRONG&gt; It gives examples of situations th&lt;EM&gt;at&amp;nbsp;may&lt;/EM&gt; indicate vulnerability (but notes each case should be judged individually):&amp;nbsp;&lt;/P&gt;&lt;UL&gt;&lt;LI&gt;&lt;P&gt;&lt;STRONG&gt;Age&lt;/STRONG&gt; – e.g., older adults who may have difficulties with communication or technology.&lt;/P&gt;&lt;/LI&gt;&lt;LI&gt;&lt;P&gt;&lt;STRONG&gt;Physical or learning disability&lt;/STRONG&gt; – including sensory impairments or cognitive challenges.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/P&gt;&lt;/LI&gt;&lt;LI&gt;&lt;P&gt;&lt;STRONG&gt;Physical or mental health conditions&lt;/STRONG&gt; – illnesses or conditions that affect understanding, decision-making or everyday functions.&lt;/P&gt;&lt;/LI&gt;&lt;LI&gt;&lt;P&gt;&lt;STRONG&gt;Low literacy or communication difficulties&lt;/STRONG&gt; – challenges with reading, writing, or understanding information.&lt;/P&gt;&lt;/LI&gt;&lt;LI&gt;&lt;P&gt;&lt;STRONG&gt;Significant life changes&lt;/STRONG&gt; – e.g., bereavement, serious financial trouble or other major disruptions.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/P&gt;&lt;/LI&gt;&lt;/UL&gt;&lt;P&gt;TalkTalk emphasises that having one of these circumstances doesn’t automatically make a customer vulnerable — it depends on &lt;EM&gt;how it affects their interaction with TalkTalk services.&lt;/EM&gt;&lt;/P&gt;&lt;H3&gt;&lt;span class="lia-unicode-emoji" title=":pushpin:"&gt;📌&lt;/span&gt;General industry and regulatory context&lt;/H3&gt;&lt;P&gt;Ofcom (the UK telecoms regulator) similarly describes vulnerability as something that can affect &lt;STRONG&gt;any customer temporarily or permanently&lt;/STRONG&gt;, including those with health problems, financial hardship, disabilities, or communication challenges, and stresses that providers should treat such customers fairly. (&lt;A title="Vulnerable people" href="https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/vulnerable-customers/consumer-vulnerability?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener"&gt;www.ofcom.org.uk&lt;/A&gt;)&lt;/P&gt;&lt;H3&gt;🧠 Key point&lt;/H3&gt;&lt;P&gt;Because TalkTalk doesn’t publicly list exactly who it considers its &lt;EM&gt;“most vulnerable customers”&lt;/EM&gt; for specific offers or protections, most definitions rely on the &lt;STRONG&gt;policy wording&lt;/STRONG&gt; and &lt;STRONG&gt;industry norms&lt;/STRONG&gt;, rather than a fixed set of categories. Independent sources note the company &lt;EM&gt;assesses vulnerability individually and hasn’t disclosed exact thresholds or criteria.&lt;/EM&gt;&lt;/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;If you think you or someone else might qualify as vulnerable under TalkTalk’s approach — for example due to disability, serious illness, or a significant change in personal circumstances — you can contact their support team to register additional support needs and discuss what protections or assistance might be available. (&lt;A title="TalkTalk Accessibility - Contact us - TalkTalk Help &amp;amp; Support" href="https://help-centre.talktalk.co.uk/Manage_account/Manage_Settings_or_Preferences/TalkTalk_Accessibility_-_Contact_us?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener"&gt;help-centre.talktalk.co.uk&lt;/A&gt;)&lt;/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;I easily meet the criteria for this -so why am I still seeing annual price increases on my bills ?&lt;/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;I am registered&amp;nbsp; as disabled with TT - And have been for 10 + years - although why do I bother ?&lt;/P&gt;</description>
    <pubDate>Thu, 26 Feb 2026 10:44:07 GMT</pubDate>
    <dc:creator>Weevie</dc:creator>
    <dc:date>2026-02-26T10:44:07Z</dc:date>
    <item>
      <title>Who are TalkTalks "most vulnerable" customers ?</title>
      <link>https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/TalkTalk-Accessibility/Who-are-TalkTalks-quot-most-vulnerable-quot-customers/m-p/3145481#M2</link>
      <description>&lt;P&gt;I have asked this before but never been given a satisfactory answer...&lt;/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;&lt;A href="https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2024/01/broadband-and-mobile-price-hikes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"&gt;https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2024/01/broadband-and-mobile-price-hikes/&lt;/A&gt;&lt;/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;According to MSE - TT refuse to tell them who this applies to - WHY IS THAT ?&lt;/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;TalkTalk doesn’t publish a simple list of who exactly counts as its “most vulnerable customers,” and in some communications (e.g., around price-freeze commitments) it has refused to give detailed criteria for that term. Independent reporting suggests that the company assesses vulnerability &lt;STRONG&gt;on a case-by-case basis&lt;/STRONG&gt; rather than having a strict, public checklist of specific groups.&lt;/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;However, based on TalkTalk’s own &lt;STRONG&gt;Accessibility &amp;amp; Vulnerable Customer Policy&lt;/STRONG&gt; and &lt;STRONG&gt;industry definitions&lt;/STRONG&gt; (including guidance from the UK regulator Ofcom), here’s how “vulnerable” is generally understood in the telecoms context:&lt;/P&gt;&lt;H3&gt;&lt;span class="lia-unicode-emoji" title=":pushpin:"&gt;📌&lt;/span&gt;What TalkTalk includes under “vulnerable customers”&lt;/H3&gt;&lt;P&gt;TalkTalk’s policy says &lt;STRONG&gt;vulnerable customers&lt;/STRONG&gt; are those whose personal circumstances make them &lt;STRONG&gt;“particularly susceptible to harm or detriment.”&lt;/STRONG&gt; It gives examples of situations th&lt;EM&gt;at&amp;nbsp;may&lt;/EM&gt; indicate vulnerability (but notes each case should be judged individually):&amp;nbsp;&lt;/P&gt;&lt;UL&gt;&lt;LI&gt;&lt;P&gt;&lt;STRONG&gt;Age&lt;/STRONG&gt; – e.g., older adults who may have difficulties with communication or technology.&lt;/P&gt;&lt;/LI&gt;&lt;LI&gt;&lt;P&gt;&lt;STRONG&gt;Physical or learning disability&lt;/STRONG&gt; – including sensory impairments or cognitive challenges.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/P&gt;&lt;/LI&gt;&lt;LI&gt;&lt;P&gt;&lt;STRONG&gt;Physical or mental health conditions&lt;/STRONG&gt; – illnesses or conditions that affect understanding, decision-making or everyday functions.&lt;/P&gt;&lt;/LI&gt;&lt;LI&gt;&lt;P&gt;&lt;STRONG&gt;Low literacy or communication difficulties&lt;/STRONG&gt; – challenges with reading, writing, or understanding information.&lt;/P&gt;&lt;/LI&gt;&lt;LI&gt;&lt;P&gt;&lt;STRONG&gt;Significant life changes&lt;/STRONG&gt; – e.g., bereavement, serious financial trouble or other major disruptions.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/P&gt;&lt;/LI&gt;&lt;/UL&gt;&lt;P&gt;TalkTalk emphasises that having one of these circumstances doesn’t automatically make a customer vulnerable — it depends on &lt;EM&gt;how it affects their interaction with TalkTalk services.&lt;/EM&gt;&lt;/P&gt;&lt;H3&gt;&lt;span class="lia-unicode-emoji" title=":pushpin:"&gt;📌&lt;/span&gt;General industry and regulatory context&lt;/H3&gt;&lt;P&gt;Ofcom (the UK telecoms regulator) similarly describes vulnerability as something that can affect &lt;STRONG&gt;any customer temporarily or permanently&lt;/STRONG&gt;, including those with health problems, financial hardship, disabilities, or communication challenges, and stresses that providers should treat such customers fairly. (&lt;A title="Vulnerable people" href="https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/vulnerable-customers/consumer-vulnerability?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener"&gt;www.ofcom.org.uk&lt;/A&gt;)&lt;/P&gt;&lt;H3&gt;🧠 Key point&lt;/H3&gt;&lt;P&gt;Because TalkTalk doesn’t publicly list exactly who it considers its &lt;EM&gt;“most vulnerable customers”&lt;/EM&gt; for specific offers or protections, most definitions rely on the &lt;STRONG&gt;policy wording&lt;/STRONG&gt; and &lt;STRONG&gt;industry norms&lt;/STRONG&gt;, rather than a fixed set of categories. Independent sources note the company &lt;EM&gt;assesses vulnerability individually and hasn’t disclosed exact thresholds or criteria.&lt;/EM&gt;&lt;/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;If you think you or someone else might qualify as vulnerable under TalkTalk’s approach — for example due to disability, serious illness, or a significant change in personal circumstances — you can contact their support team to register additional support needs and discuss what protections or assistance might be available. (&lt;A title="TalkTalk Accessibility - Contact us - TalkTalk Help &amp;amp; Support" href="https://help-centre.talktalk.co.uk/Manage_account/Manage_Settings_or_Preferences/TalkTalk_Accessibility_-_Contact_us?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener"&gt;help-centre.talktalk.co.uk&lt;/A&gt;)&lt;/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;I easily meet the criteria for this -so why am I still seeing annual price increases on my bills ?&lt;/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;I am registered&amp;nbsp; as disabled with TT - And have been for 10 + years - although why do I bother ?&lt;/P&gt;</description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 26 Feb 2026 10:44:07 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/TalkTalk-Accessibility/Who-are-TalkTalks-quot-most-vulnerable-quot-customers/m-p/3145481#M2</guid>
      <dc:creator>Weevie</dc:creator>
      <dc:date>2026-02-26T10:44:07Z</dc:date>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Re: Who are TalkTalks "most vulnerable" customers ?</title>
      <link>https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/TalkTalk-Accessibility/Who-are-TalkTalks-quot-most-vulnerable-quot-customers/m-p/3145539#M3</link>
      <description>&lt;P&gt;Hi there &lt;SPAN style="background: var(--ck-color-mention-background); color: var(--ck-color-mention-text);"&gt;&lt;a href="https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/159556"&gt;@Weevie&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/SPAN&gt;. I am very sorry to hear this. I can clear any confusion you might have with this. Please note that the price changes are across all customers and are not selective, please use the below Help &amp;amp; Support article to know more about this&lt;/P&gt;
&lt;P&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/P&gt;
&lt;P&gt;&lt;A href="https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fhelp-centre.talktalk.co.uk%2FBilling_and_Payments%2FSomething_else%2FNews_about_our_prices&amp;amp;data=05%7C02%7Cnambuso.lushaba%40talktalkplc.com%7C3346680836604a0fa9c908de754cf5ab%7Cd481b6128d2a409f97389508185d1a50%7C0%7C0%7C639077170579490739%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;amp;sdata=ZaZh49HCs3mwG5b14HU1hND6H3iJepCZu9b9gHLdPYM%3D&amp;amp;reserved=0" target="_blank"&gt;News about our prices - TalkTalk Help &amp;amp; Support&lt;/A&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/P&gt;</description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 26 Feb 2026 15:41:05 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/TalkTalk-Accessibility/Who-are-TalkTalks-quot-most-vulnerable-quot-customers/m-p/3145539#M3</guid>
      <dc:creator>nambuso-TT</dc:creator>
      <dc:date>2026-02-26T15:41:05Z</dc:date>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Re: Who are TalkTalks "most vulnerable" customers ?</title>
      <link>https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/TalkTalk-Accessibility/Who-are-TalkTalks-quot-most-vulnerable-quot-customers/m-p/3145540#M4</link>
      <description>&lt;P&gt;&lt;a href="https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/856513"&gt;@nambuso-TT&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;Yes I am aware of the £3-£4 increase&lt;/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;I have been a paying TT customer for 22 years !&lt;/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;And had this increase been imposed since 2004 - I would now be paying over £120 per month (£88 in increases alone)&lt;/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;Where does it stop ?&lt;/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;All I want is to know what is meant by "(most) vulnerable customers getting no increases"&lt;/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;Because I am pretty vulnerable - I am registered with TT as disabled&amp;nbsp;&lt;/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;Does this frozen tariff apply to myself and if not Why not ?&lt;/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;Please don't tell me to use live chat - I hate using that and prefer email - it gives me time to think&lt;/P&gt;</description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 26 Feb 2026 15:55:52 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/TalkTalk-Accessibility/Who-are-TalkTalks-quot-most-vulnerable-quot-customers/m-p/3145540#M4</guid>
      <dc:creator>Weevie</dc:creator>
      <dc:date>2026-02-26T15:55:52Z</dc:date>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Re: Who are TalkTalks "most vulnerable" customers ?</title>
      <link>https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/TalkTalk-Accessibility/Who-are-TalkTalks-quot-most-vulnerable-quot-customers/m-p/3145584#M5</link>
      <description>&lt;P&gt;Hi there &lt;SPAN style="color:var(--ck-color-mention-text);"&gt;&lt;SPAN style="background: var(--ck-color-mention-background); color: var(--ck-color-mention-text);"&gt;&lt;a href="https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/159556"&gt;@Weevie&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/SPAN&gt;&lt;/SPAN&gt;. Please advise where you see the information that states most vulnerable customers get no increases. If possible, please send us a screenshot or let us know where you see this information. Thanks&lt;/P&gt;</description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 27 Feb 2026 08:44:26 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/TalkTalk-Accessibility/Who-are-TalkTalks-quot-most-vulnerable-quot-customers/m-p/3145584#M5</guid>
      <dc:creator>nambuso-TT</dc:creator>
      <dc:date>2026-02-27T08:44:26Z</dc:date>
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