Disabled Broadband Customers: Seven Rights Providers Rarely Mention
The short answer
Ofcom's General Condition C5 obliges UK communications providers to offer seven specific services to disabled customers. Priority fault repair, directory enquiries with the call connected for you, accessible format bills, text relay with a tariff scheme that refunds the extra time, emergency SMS, emergency video relay for BSL users, and third party bill management. These are regulatory conditions, not favours. Almost all are free. Almost none arrive unless you ask.
One thing to get right before you pick up the phone. These attach to the service you buy, not to every company you deal with. Priority fault repair comes from your landline or fixed broadband provider. Emergency SMS is mobile only, so it comes from your mobile network. Ringing a broadband-only provider about emergency SMS will get you a no, correctly.
Most disabled broadband and phone customers in the UK are entitled to services they have never been offered and do not know exist. They are not discretionary. They sit in Ofcom's General Condition C5, they apply to every provider, and the strongest thing you can do is name the condition when you ask. This guide sets out all seven in Ofcom's own wording, what each one actually gets you in practice, what it costs, and how to claim it. It also flags the two that need setting up before you need them, which is the difference between a service that works in a crisis and one that does not.
The short version
- Seven entitlements, one regulation. Ofcom General Condition C5, binding on every UK provider.
- Register for emergency SMS today. Text "register" to 999. It does not work otherwise.
- Priority fault repair exists, for landline and fixed broadband, for anyone with a genuine need for an urgent repair.
- Bills in braille or large print are a right, on request, not a special favour.
- None of it transfers when you switch. Re-register with the new provider as part of the move.
The seven, in Ofcom's own words
Direct answer: priority fault repair, directory enquiries, text relay, emergency SMS, emergency video relay, third party bill management, and accessible format communications.
The wording in the middle column is Ofcom's, taken from its own guidance to providers on what they must make available. Quoting it back is the fastest way to move a phone call along.
Read the last column before you ring anyone. These obligations attach to the service you buy, not to every provider you happen to have. Asking the wrong company gets you a correct no.
| The entitlement | Ofcom's wording | What it gets you | Cost, and who you ask |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Priority fault repair | "Priority fault repair (landline and fixed broadband) for disabled end-users who have a genuine need for an urgent repair" | Your fault is treated as urgent rather than joining the ordinary queue. Not available on mobile | No premium for the priority: Ofcom's position is that any charge must not exceed the provider's standard charge. Ask your landline or fixed broadband provider |
| 2. Directory enquiries | "Access to directory information for end-users who are unable to easily use a printed directory due to visual impairment or other disabilities, with through-connection of calls" | Someone looks the number up and puts you through, rather than reading it out for you to dial | Free, and 195 is an industry-wide number, not BT only. Register once on 0800 587 0195. Ask your landline provider |
| 3. Text relay | "Access to an approved relay service for end-users with disabilities that mean they need to make or receive calls in which some or all of the call is made or received in text format" | Relay UK. Dial 18001 before the number, through the app or a textphone | Service free, normal call charges apply. Plus a refund you have to ask for: Ofcom requires "special tariffs to compensate disabled customers for the additional time taken by these calls" |
| 4. Emergency SMS | "Access to emergency SMS (mobile only) for end-users with hearing or speech impairments" | Text 999 or 112 in an emergency. Requires advance registration, see the box at the top | Free. Mobile only, so ask your mobile network |
| 5. Emergency video relay | "Access to an approved emergency video relay service for deaf British Sign Language ('BSL') users to contact the emergency services" | 999 BSL, via the app or 999bsl.co.uk. A video call with a BSL interpreter through to police, ambulance, fire or coastguard. Needs an internet connection. BSL only | "Completely free of charge", 24 hours a day, 365 days a year |
| 6. Third party bill management | "Third party bill management, enabling a nominee to act on behalf of a disabled subscriber who needs help to manage their affairs" | A named friend or relative can deal with your bills and account formally, rather than borrowing your password | Free to set up |
| 7. Accessible formats | "Communications in an accessible format such as large print or Braille on request" | Bills and contract information in a format you can actually read | Free. Note the words "on request", which is why almost nobody receives it |
The two words doing the most work in that table are "on request". Nothing here is delivered automatically. A provider meets its obligation by having the service available, and the gap between having it available and a customer knowing it exists is exactly where these entitlements go to die. Ofcom has published guidance for providers on publicising these services, which tells you how well that has been going.
Priority fault repair, the one that matters most day to day
Direct answer: it is real, it covers landline and fixed broadband, and you should register for it before you have a fault.
Ofcom's wording is "priority fault repair (landline and fixed broadband) for disabled end-users who have a genuine need for an urgent repair". Two limits to note honestly: it does not apply to mobile, and it turns on genuine need rather than simply having a disability recorded.
On cost, be precise, because this is the one entitlement in the seven that is not simply free. Ofcom's consumer guidance frames the charge as one that must not exceed the provider's standard charge. In plain terms, you should not be charged a premium for the priority itself.
The practical advice, and it is the same as for a Priority Services Register: do it in advance. Registering your need while your service is down is slower and harder than registering it while everything is working. Ring the accessibility or additional needs team, not general customer service, and ask specifically for priority fault repair under General Condition C5.
Priority fault repair is not the same as a Priority Services Register
These get confused constantly, including by staff. A telecoms Priority Services Register is a provider's own record that you need extra support, and being on one does not by itself mean your fault jumps the queue. Priority fault repair is the separate, specific obligation under C5. Ask for it by name, and if the person you are speaking to says a PSR covers it, politely ask them to check.
The one that pays you back, and hardly anyone claims it
Direct answer: relay calls take longer, so Ofcom requires your provider to run a tariff scheme that compensates you for the extra time.
This is the entitlement that surprises people most, because it is money rather than a service. Alongside text relay itself, Ofcom requires providers to offer "special tariffs to compensate disabled customers for the additional time taken by these calls".
The logic is simple and fair. A call routed through a relay assistant takes substantially longer than the same conversation by voice, and without a compensating scheme a deaf customer would pay more than a hearing one for the identical call. Providers do not usually apply it automatically. Ask yours what its relay tariff scheme is, whether it is applied to your account, and whether it can be backdated.
Bills and contracts you can actually read
Direct answer: braille or large print, on request, free.
Ofcom's requirement is "communications in an accessible format such as large print or Braille on request". Its consumer guidance describes it as covering communications relating to your communications services, which in practice is your bill and your contract information.
Providers do not send these by default, and general customer service often does not know the process. Ask the accessibility team, ask for it to be recorded as a standing preference rather than a one off, and get confirmation in writing that it has been applied to your account. A one off large print bill that reverts next month is a common outcome and worth heading off.
Free directory enquiries, and the fee exemption nobody mentions
Direct answer: someone finds the number and connects the call for you, free.
The entitlement is "access to directory information for end-users who are unable to easily use a printed directory due to visual impairment or other disabilities, with through-connection of calls". Those last four words are the useful part: not just the number read out, but the call put through.
The number is 195, and here is the thing worth knowing: it is an industry-wide service, not a BT one. BT, Sky and TalkTalk all publish the same 195 service, and registration for all of them goes through the same line. BT describes it as "free 195 directory enquiries" for those "who can't read or hold the phone book due to an impairment, illness or disability", connecting you to the number found "at the same rate as if you'd dialled it yourself". TalkTalk's wording is that "You can apply for free 195 Directory Enquiries if you're unable to read or hold the printed directory".
How to register, and it is not simply a phone call. Ring 0800 587 0195 to request an application form. BT gives the hours as 9am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday, TalkTalk as 9am to 4pm, so aim for the middle of the day. The form then needs countersigning by a medical professional, in TalkTalk's words "by a doctor, nurse or other medical practitioners". Once processed, you are issued a PIN and can start using the service by dialling 195 from your landline. So allow time, and get the countersignature organised before you post it.
The bit almost nobody mentions. BT says registered customers also get exemption from "the BT 1471 and BT 1571 call return fee". That specific exemption is BT's, so if you are elsewhere it is worth asking whether your provider matches it. It is a small recurring saving that arrives simply because you registered for something else.
Getting through in an emergency
Three routes, listed fastest first, which is the order Relay UK itself recommends. Two of them need something doing today.
1. Relay UK for emergencies. Dial 18000, not 18001.
The everyday prefix is 18001. For emergencies it is 18000, which connects you to a Relay Assistant who routes you to the right emergency service. Worth memorising, because 18001 is the one people reach for under pressure. Nothing to set up, though having the Relay UK app already installed helps.
2. 999 BSL, for deaf British Sign Language users. Install the app today.
A video call connecting you to a BSL interpreter and through to police, ambulance, fire or coastguard. There is no registration: you use the iOS or Android app, or go to 999bsl.co.uk. It is "completely free of charge" and runs "24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year". The catch is connectivity: 999 BSL states you "must have a good internet connection to use the service, either WiFi or a 3G/4G/5G connection". So install the app while you have signal and a calm minute. The requirement on providers came into force in June 2022, and in May 2025 Ofcom published research finding the service is successfully saving lives.
3. Emergency SMS, for hearing or speech impairments. Slowest, and registration is compulsory.
Text 999 or 112. Relay UK's own guidance is to use it "only if you've no other option", because "it will take longer than the standard voice 999 service or the Relay 18000 service". Register first: text "register" to 999, read the reply in full, then text "yes", and wait for the text confirming you are registered. Replies "can take a couple of minutes". If no confirmation arrives, check with your mobile provider that it supports the service. When you do use it, say which service you need, what the emergency is, and exactly where you are, with street names and landmarks. One warning from Relay UK worth carrying: "A text delivery report doesn't mean your message has been received by the emergency service."
If you sign in Irish Sign Language rather than BSL
999 BSL is British Sign Language only, and the Ofcom obligation is written that way. It works across the UK including Northern Ireland, but it is not an ISL service. If you sign in ISL, emergency SMS and 18000 are open to you, and in Northern Ireland the PSNI publishes a separate ISL video relay route worth finding before you need it.
How to actually claim any of this
1. Ask for the accessibility or additional needs team by name.
General customer service frequently does not know these obligations exist. The specialist team does. Every major provider has one.
2. Name the regulation.
"I am asking under Ofcom General Condition C5." It sounds formal, and that is the point: it moves the request from something you are hoping for to something the provider is obliged to provide.
3. Ask for it to be recorded as a standing arrangement.
One off accessible bills revert. A recorded preference does not. Ask for written confirmation that it is on the account.
4. Set up third party bill management properly if you need it.
A formal nominee arrangement, not a shared password. Our guide to managing someone else's account covers how this works alongside power of attorney and the trap most families hit.
5. If you get nowhere, complain in writing and escalate.
Ofcom expects providers to have "clear, effective policies and procedures for treating vulnerable customers fairly and appropriately". If yours will not engage, our guide to complaining and reaching the ombudsman sets out the free escalation route.
The thing to watch when you switch
Direct answer: the obligations follow you, but your records do not.
General Condition C5 binds UK communications providers generally, so a new provider owes you whatever attaches to the service it sells you. But the record of your particular needs sits with your old provider and does not travel. People switch, assume their arrangements came too, and discover otherwise during a fault.
So treat re-registering as part of the move rather than something to sort out afterwards: raise your requirements when you place the order, and confirm them in writing once the service is live. It is also a fair question to ask before you choose, because how well a provider handles this varies far more than the regulation would suggest.
Accessibility support varies a lot more than the rules do
Every provider owes you the same seven things. How easy they are to actually get differs enormously. If you are thinking about switching anyway, it is worth asking each shortlisted provider how it handles accessibility registration before you commit.
Frequently asked questions
What must broadband providers offer disabled customers?
Seven things, under Ofcom General Condition C5. Priority fault repair for landline and fixed broadband. Access to directory information with calls connected for you. An approved text relay service, with a special tariff scheme compensating you for the extra time relay calls take. Emergency SMS on mobile. An approved emergency video relay service for deaf British Sign Language users. Third party bill management so a nominee can act for you. And communications in an accessible format such as large print or braille on request. Note that these attach to the service you buy: priority fault repair comes from your landline or fixed broadband provider, emergency SMS from your mobile network.
What is priority fault repair?
Ofcom requires providers to offer priority fault repair on landline and fixed broadband for, in its words, disabled end-users who have a genuine need for an urgent repair. It does not apply to mobile. It is not automatically free, but Ofcom's position is that any charge must not exceed the provider's standard charge, so you should not be paying a premium for the priority itself. You usually have to register for it in advance rather than ask for it during a fault.
Can I get my broadband bill in braille or large print?
Yes. Ofcom requires providers to offer communications in an accessible format such as large print or braille on request. That covers material relating to your communications services, which in practice means bills and contract information. You have to ask, because providers do not send accessible formats by default, and the request usually needs to go through the accessibility or additional needs team rather than general customer service.
What is the 195 free directory enquiries service?
Ofcom requires providers to give access to directory information for people who cannot easily use a printed directory because of visual impairment or another disability, with calls connected through for you. The number is 195, and it is an industry-wide service rather than a BT one: BT, Sky and TalkTalk all publish it, and registration for all of them goes through 0800 587 0195. It is not simply a phone call. You ring that number to request an application form, the form must be countersigned by a medical professional, and once processed you are issued a PIN to activate the service. BT registrants also get exemption from the BT 1471 and 1571 call return fee, which is BT specific, so ask whether your provider matches it.
Do I have to register before I can text 999?
Yes. Relay UK states it in capitals: you must register your mobile number before you can use it. Text the word register to 999, read the reply in full, then text yes, and wait for the confirmation text. You are not registered until that confirmation arrives, and replies can take a couple of minutes. Registration is tied to the number rather than the handset, so register again if you change your number. To check, text register to 999 and it will tell you. Note also that emergency SMS is the slowest of the three emergency routes, and Relay UK advises using it only if you have no other option.
How do deaf British Sign Language users contact 999?
Through 999 BSL, which connects deaf BSL users to an interpreter and then to the emergency services by video call. It reaches police, ambulance, fire and coastguard. There is no registration: you use the iOS or Android app, or the website at 999bsl.co.uk. It is completely free of charge and runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Because it is a video call you need a good internet connection, either WiFi or 3G, 4G or 5G, so install the app before you need it. It supports British Sign Language only, so it is not an Irish Sign Language service.
What is text relay and does it cost extra?
Text relay lets someone with hearing or speech difficulties make and receive phone calls, with part or all of the call in text. In the UK it is Relay UK, used through an app or a textphone, and you reach it by dialling 18001 before the number. Relay UK states that the service itself is free and that you only pay your normal charges for the calls you make. There is also a refund most people never claim: because relay calls take longer, Ofcom requires providers to offer special tariffs to compensate disabled customers for the additional time taken by these calls. Ask your provider what its scheme is. For emergencies, dial 18000 rather than 18001.
Can someone else manage my broadband account for me?
Yes. Ofcom requires providers to offer third party bill management, which it describes as enabling a nominee to act on behalf of a disabled subscriber who needs help to manage their affairs. That is a formal arrangement you set up with the provider rather than simply letting a relative use your password, and setting it up properly protects both of you.
Are these services free?
Mostly, but not uniformly, and it is worth being precise. Relay UK is free to use with normal call charges applying, and on top of that your provider should run a tariff scheme compensating you for the extra time relay calls take. Emergency SMS is free and 999 BSL is completely free of charge. The 195 directory enquiries service is free for registered customers. Accessible format communications and third party bill management should not carry a charge. Priority fault repair is the exception: Ofcom's position is that the charge must not exceed the provider's standard charge, which means no premium for priority rather than no cost at all.
Does my accessibility support move with me if I switch provider?
No, and this catches people out. General Condition C5 binds UK communications providers generally, so a new provider owes you whatever attaches to the service it sells you. But the record of your particular needs sits with your old provider and does not transfer automatically. If you switch, assume you are starting from scratch and register your requirements with the new provider as part of the move rather than afterwards. Your emergency SMS registration is separate again, because it is tied to your mobile number, not to your broadband.
What do I do if my provider will not help?
Complain formally, in writing, and say that you are relying on Ofcom General Condition C5. Naming the condition changes the conversation, because it moves the request from a favour to an obligation. If the provider does not resolve it, you can escalate free of charge to an independent alternative dispute resolution scheme. Ofcom also expects providers to have clear, effective policies and procedures for treating vulnerable customers fairly and appropriately.
Is a Priority Services Register the same as priority fault repair?
No, and the two get confused constantly. A telecoms Priority Services Register is a provider's own record of customers who need extra support, and being on one does not by itself guarantee your fault jumps the queue. Priority fault repair is the separate, specific obligation Ofcom places on providers under General Condition C5 for disabled customers with a genuine need for an urgent repair. Ask for the second by name.
References
- Ofcom. (n.d.). Communications services for disabled people. https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/accessibility/services-for-disabled-people
- Ofcom. (n.d.). A summary of Ofcom's rules for phone and broadband providers. https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/accessibility/rules-for-providers
- Ofcom. (n.d.). A guide to publicising services available to disabled users. https://www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/about-ofcom/bulletins/enforcement-bulletin/all-cases/cw_01164/a-guide-to-publicising-services-available-to-disabled-users
- Ofcom. (n.d.). Accessibility of phone and broadband services. https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/accessibility/
- Relay UK. (n.d.). Relay UK home. https://www.relayuk.bt.com/
- Relay UK. (n.d.). Contact 999 using Relay UK. https://www.relayuk.bt.com/how-to-use-relay-uk/contact-999-using-relay-uk.html
- 999 BSL. (n.d.). Emergency video relay service for deaf sign language users. https://www.999bsl.co.uk/
- BT. (n.d.). Can't read the BT phone book? Here's what to do. https://www.bt.com/help/landline/i-can-t-read-or-use-the-phone-book
- TalkTalk. (n.d.). Free 195 Directory Enquiries. https://help-centre.talktalk.co.uk/Telephone/Find_info_or_guidance_about_my_telephone/Free_195_Directory_Enquiries
- Sky. (n.d.). Free directory enquiries: 195 service. https://www.sky.com/help/articles/free-directory-enquiries-195-service
- 999 BSL. (n.d.). Frequently asked questions. https://999bsl.co.uk/faqs/
Written by Adrian James, Broadband Editor. Reviewed by Dr Alex J. Martin-Smith.
Published 14 August 2026. Regulatory position verified against Ofcom's published guidance on 14 August 2026. Individual provider processes, phone numbers and opening hours change, so confirm details with your own provider.