Money: Best mobile phone providers ranked after UK survey - and big names don't fare well (2025)

A first quarter dip in inflation, confirmed by March's better-than-forecast fall in CPI to 2.6%, is likely to offer only temporary respite to both consumers and the chancellor, ahead of a year of rising prices and soaring uncertainty.

The decline in March was driven by falling oil prices and the cost of recreation and culture. Forecourt fuel prices were down more than 7p a litre year-on-year, while food prices were flat.

Together they helped drag the primary measure of prices almost half a percentage point lower than the start of the year, and there were encouraging, if small, declines in both the rate of underlying core and services inflation.

This is likely to prove the low point, however, as international trade turmoil compounds domestic price pressures.

When April's figures are released in a month's time they are likely to reflect increases in consumer bills, from water to energy, as well as the first impact of rising employment taxes and a more than 6% bump to the national living wage.

All of these are forecast to push CPI above 3% in April and stay there, peaking at 3.5% or higher in the autumn.

If those domestic pressures are baked in and relatively straightforward to predict, the impact of Donald Trump's trade war is less clear.

As tariffs are taxes paid by the importer, the immediate impact of global blanket tariffs will be felt by American consumers, but the UK is far from immune from the consequences, both good and bad.

A weakening dollar could make US imports cheaper (the reverse is also true) and, should exporters priced out of the US choose to "dump" goods in tariff-free territories such as the UK, prices could initially fall.

Given dumping would disadvantage domestic suppliers that would likely draw a protectionist response from the government, in the form of tariffs or non-tariff barriers, pushing up prices and demonstrating the corrosive impact of tit-for-tat trade conflict.

Fears of weakening demand have already pushed down oil and gas prices which eventually pass through to consumers too, but given they reflect expectations of a global recession there will be little to celebrate.

Reflecting fears of a downturn, markets now expect the Bank of England to cut interest rates four more times this year, starting next month.

UK industry and business, meanwhile, still has no idea if the 10% blanket tariff applied to the UK will last, and specific industries are deeply troubled, including car manufacturers who know they face a 25% tax, and the pharmaceutical industry, which fears it might.

Any prolonged impact on these two cornerstones of UK exports, expertise and employment, would be traumatic for the economy.

In the video below, I explain what falling inflation means for you...

By Mickey Carroll, science and technology reporter

A legal case against Apple that could see 23.8 million UK iPhone users compensated will continue, a court has ruled.

The tech giant is accused of costing iPhone users more than £853m by making iOS updates that degraded iPhone batteries and performance.

This, the case alleges, led users to buy new devices without ever being made aware of what the updates were doing.

Today, a court ruled in favour of Justin Gutmann, who brought the case more than two years ago on behalf of Apple customers.

The ruling was over a technicality around the funding arrangement of the case, but had Apple won, the legal challenge may not have been able to continue.

Instead, the Court of Appeal ruled unanimously in favour of Gutmann.

"I began this action in 2022 to hold Apple to account for misleading millions of iPhone users by issuing software updates that avoided addressing their underlying battery issues, choosing instead to curb iPhone performance," Gutmann said.

"Apple has attempted to overturn every major decision of the Tribunal, delay proceedings and increase the costs of litigation.

"I am delighted that the Court of Appeal has issued a strong, unanimous verdict showing them that their tactics will not work."

Sky News has contacted Apple for comment.

Richer households could face higher bills than others to shoulder the costs of upgrading the grid and transitioning to cleaner energy, Ofgem has said.

Plans to be considered this summer would see higher earners pay a more expensive standing charge to fund upgrading the UK's energy cables and pipes as it moves away from fossil fuels.

The regulator's chief executive, Jonathan Brearley, said a wide-ranging review was needed to stop higher fixed costs in Britain's energy system exacerbating inequalities.

"Over the next few years, we do expect variable costs to come down, but the proportion of costs that are fixed will rise, which, if unchecked, could exacerbate inequalities that we see today."

Fixed industry costs like maintaining wires and cables are built into the standing charge - a flat fee for all households regardless of how much energy they use, meaning lower-income households pay proportionally more of their earnings to fund the grid.

Consumer expert Martin Lewis has called the standing charge a "moral hazard" forcing people to pay more than £300 a year just to be connected to the grid.

"So, in the summer, we are launching a wide-ranging examination of how we best allocate costs within the energy system from first principles," Brearley said.

"What [the review] will mean is looking at the bill and saying, are there ways in which we can attach the price customers pay for fixed costs to income."

He stressed any decisions were some way off and that doing "something related to income" would involve challenges.

"We want to at least ask the question — whether or not we can allocate costs more progressively."

For this week's guide, Anna Bowes, savings expert fromThe Private Office,looks at the best easy access savings accounts - and the industry tricks to watch out for...

Although the Bank of England base rate was cut by 0.25% two months ago, the top easy access savings rates have held up remarkably well.

At the start of February, the best available rate was 4.85% and the average of the top five was 4.75%. Today, the leading rates are still paying 4.75%, with the average at 4.65% - that's higher than the base rate, 4.5%.

But savers can't afford to be complacent.

Short-term bonuses

It's important to regularly review the interest you are earning and switch if you are no longer getting a competitive rate.

This is particularly important if you've chosen an account that includes a short-term boosted rate.

If you don't switch once the bonus ends, your rate will drop significantly.

Take Chase Bank, for example. Its Chase Saver account advertises a boosted rate of 4.75% AER, but that includes a 1.75% bonus for only six months.

After that, the rate falls to 3%, meaning the actual Annual Equivalent Rate is 3.88%.

Similarly, Chip's Instant Access account promotes a rate of 4.76% AER, but that includes a 1.26% bonus for only three months, after which the rate drops to 3.50%.

As a result, the true AER is 3.82%.

For this reason, these accounts do not make it on to my best buy table.

Short-term bonuses are not all you need to watch out for - some top-paying accounts come with restricted access.

If you have one of these, it's crucial to understand what impact additional withdrawals will have.

In most cases, exceeding the allowed number of penalty-free withdrawals will simply cause your rate to drop for the rest of the year.

But you should check whether you can still access your funds at all - some accounts won't let you withdraw beyond the limit.

Other terms and conditions to watch out for include Atom Bank's Instant Saver Reward, which pays 4.75% AER, but only in months when no withdrawals are made.

If you take money out, the rate drops to 3% AER for that month.

There are plenty of straightforward, no-fuss easy access accounts available.

Charter Savings Bank's Easy Access Issue 58, for example, is paying 4.56% AER, with no short-term bonuses or withdrawal restrictions. You can deposit as little as £1 and earn the full rate.

By Sarah Taaffe-Maguire, business and economics reporter

A big reason for the inflation rate fall last month was lower fuel costs.

The price we pay at the pump is, in large part, determined by the market-determined price of oil.

It seems strange to talk about the reduced cost of oil in March after we saw such steep drops this month, as Trump's tariff announcement sparked fears of a recession in the world's biggest economy.

Nevertheless,there were definite declines last month as a barrel of Brent crude oil (the benchmark) at points fell below $70 for the first time in 18 months.

That fall came as there was a brief halt to Russia and Ukraine attacking energy infrastructure.

Around the same time, the OPEC group of oil-producing states confirmed they were expanding production, which also helped bring down costs.

Demand for oil has also dropped, reflected in the International Energy Agency downgrading its 2025 demand forecast.

A little earlier this morning we brought you the findings from Which?'s annual mobile network survey, which suggested smaller providers were often better options than the biggest ones.

Money has teamed up with the consumer champion to produce a guide to getting a good deal - from perks to haggling, roaming charges to annual price hikes.

Which?'s head of home products and services Natalie Hitchins has written this guest post...

Best perks right now

Some of the best perks on the market are the data flexibility and data roaming offered by the smaller providers.

Several providers offer free EU roaming. iD Mobile and Lebara offer 30GB of roaming, Smarty offers 12GB and Talkmobile and Giffgaff both offer 5GB.

At GiffGaff, you can change the data allowance on your 18-month contract as needed - meaning you aren't stuck paying for data you don't need if your circumstances change.

Voxi also offers data-free use of social media, video and music streaming apps.

Some providers, like Sky and iD Mobile, also allow you to roll over unused data. This means low data users can opt for a cheap deal and still have the security of top-ups from any data that's gone unused the previous month.

Don't pay more than £8 a month for sim-only contract

The biggest mistake most people make is paying more than £8 a month for a sim-only contract.

You can get great rolling sim-only deals with plenty of data from smaller providers - like Smarty, Talkmobile and Voxi - for a fraction of the cost of the big four providers.

It's always worth shopping around and checking prices at the smaller providers before you settle on a contract.

Another common mistake is paying for more data than you need.

Our research has found that although 17% of people are paying for unlimited data, only 13% of consumers use more than 20GB per month.

Check the signal

Check what the signal is like in your area before you decide on a network - you can do this using the Ofcom website and by checking the website of the provider you're looking to switch to.

If you're still unsure or want evidence of which is the best, you can just get a one-month sim-only deal with a network and see how it performs, then try a different one next month.

Consider second hand

If you're in the market for a new phone and aren't bothered about having the latest model, don't overlook second-hand websites. Our research shows you can get good savings on a smartphone by looking at the second-hand and refurbished market.

Comparison sites or buy direct?

Comparison sites can be a really good place to start to get an understanding of what's available and what might be the best deal for you.

The most important decision to make before you start shopping around is whether you'd be better off on a bundled contract with a phone, or a sim-only contract where you use your existing phone, or buy one outright.

Which? has a mobile contract calculatoryou can use to decide which type of contract is best for you.

Can you haggle?

Absolutely! Haggling is expected by providers and is a good opportunity to discuss the elements of your deal and upgrade or downgrade if the package doesn't quite fit your needs.

Our latest research found that the average mobile customer saved £61 a year by haggling, but this was bested by an average of £58 for both O2 and Vodafone customers and a startlingly high £101 for EE customers.

Mid-contract price hikes

Look out for any annual price rises included in the contract. For sim-only contracts with the big four providers - EE, O2, Three and Vodafone - customers will see their bill increase by £1 to £1.80 a month from this month and for those on bundled contracts with EE, costs will increase by £4 a month.

Most smaller providers do not impose mid-contract price hikes so Which? would recommend choosing one of these over the big four for a cheap, flexible sim-only deal.

You should also check what the extra charges are if you use more than your texts, calls or data allowance.

Exit fees and contract length

Importantly, make sure you know how long a contract lasts - typically it'll be 24 months, 12 or one month.

If your contract is longer than one month, check what the exit fees are if you need to get out of the contract early - this helps to ensure you don't encounter any nasty surprises down the road.

Choosing a rolling one-month contract will give you flexibility if you want to switch to a different provider.

Roaming charges

It's also worth looking out for details of any roaming charges when you join as some networks will charge you to send texts, make calls and use data abroad.

Smaller providers often allow you to use your data, calls and texts allowance for free in Europe with no additional charges.

Note: Money looked at roaming charges by provider here...

Small mobile network providers have outclassed the big four in a survey of more than 4,000 customers - especially when it comes to value for money.

EE, O2, Three and Vodafone, all of whom are charging annual price rises, were outshone by the likes of Smarty, Voxi and Talkmobile in customer scores collected by consumer brand Which?.

Rolling monthly sim-only contracts for the big four networks start from £19, whereas they are available for less than £5 from some of the top-performing smaller firms, with more data included.

O2 customers face an annual increase of £1.80 a month for sim-only contracts; £1.50 for EE customers; £1 to £1.50 for Three; and £1 to £1.80 for Vodafone.

"Our research shows that smaller providers are outshining the biggest mobile network firms across the board," Natalie Hitchin, Which? head of home products and services, says.

"Many smaller providers offer better customer service, more reliable connections and cheaper Sim-only deals without any mid-contract price hikes - giving their customers more certainty about what their monthly bill will look like."

Smarty topped the table with a score of 82% for its rolling sim-only deals, with praise for its value for money.

Voxi and Talkmobile followed just behind with scores of 81% and 80%, being well-received for network reliability, value for money, download speeds and quality of communications. Neither firm imposes mid-contract price hikes.

Lounging at the bottom of the table was Three for the second year in a row, at 63%.

Only two in five customers said they had not experienced a problem in the past 12 months - fewer than for any other provider.

O2 and Vodafone fared slightly better, scoring 68% and 69% respectively.

Customers usually give O2 average ratings, but this year they were less impressed, with poor verdicts across most categories, including customer service, ease of getting in touch and technical support.

Vodafone was rated particularly poorly for communication with customers, network reliability and incentives and rewards offered.

Of the big four, EE fared best, coming mid-table with a customer score of 71%.

It received mostly average scores across the board and was rated particularly well for download speeds.

Incentives and value for money when roaming were rated poorly, with just two stars out of five.

Investors are now expecting four interest rate cuts by the end of the year, taking the base rate to 3.5%.

Before this morning's inflation data, they were expecting three cuts - and just a month ago it was two.

Inflation, which as we have been reporting dropped in March, is forecast to rise again in April due to bill hikes and other factors.

But as well as inflation, the global economic uncertainty caused by Donald Trump's tariffs is also having a big impact on where markets expect rates to go.

Markets are pricing in an 87% chance of a cut at the next Bank meeting on 8 May.

Rob Morgan, chief analyst at investment management firm Charles Stanley, says a 0.25% cut to 4.25% looks "highly likely," though the picture is "much hazier" for the rest of the year.

He warns that inflation is forecast to move in the wrong direction as soon as next month, as we start to see the impact of bill increases that came into effect in April.

"The inflation rate is expected to jump to 3.6% when April's data is released next month and could hit 3.75% in the third quarter, according to the latest forecast from the Bank of England," he says.

"The Bank has already said regulated price rises and the effects of the budget could add around half a percentage point to the inflation rate by the second quarter.

"Many businesses will now be in the process of passing on NIC and minimum wage rises, which could fan the flames of services inflation and limit how far policymakers can go in terms of rate cuts."

He explains that job market data, which was released yesterday, and the effect of Donald Trump's global tariffs will also affect the Bank's interest rate decision.

"Overall, the Bank will be taking an open-minded view of the effects of these factors on the economy and on inflation," he says.

"It will probably look past any one-off price shocks from tariffs and focus on the bigger threat of weak growth.

"Favourable movements in both the price of oil and the recent strength of the pound in currency markets mayfurther embolden policymakers to take slices off interest rates as the year progresses."

One of the biggest drivers of the fall in inflation over the past year was recreation and culture activities, the latest ONS data shows.

Price rises in this sector slowed to 2.4% in March, down from the 3.4% recorded in the year to February.

The transport, restaurant and hotels and communication sectors also helped bring inflation down.

The ONS said slower rises in the price of petrol also contributed.

However, a lot of this was offset by the price of clothes, which "rose strongly" after a surprising decrease in last month's figures.

Prices had fallen by 0.6% in the year to February, but the latest figures show they were rising by 1.1% in March.

You can see a breakdown of all the divisions used to calculate inflation below...

This morning's figures will provide some relief to Rachel Reeves, who has faced criticism over the stalling economy.

She's just released this statement: "Inflation falling for two months in a row, wages growing faster than prices, and positive growth figures are encouraging signs that our Plan for Change is working, but there is more to be done.

"I know many families are still struggling with the cost of living and this is an anxious time because of a changing world.

"That is why the government has boosted pay for three million people by increasing the minimum wage, frozen fuel duty and begun rolling out free breakfast clubs in primary schools."