Paramount+ is increasing the cost of all three of its UK subscription packages from August 27, with the Basic with Ads plan rising from £4.99 to £5.99 per month (a 20% increase), Standard from £7.99 to £9.99 (a 25% increase), and Premium from £10.99 to £12.99 (an 18.2% increase). According to reporting from GBNews, Standard and Premium customers will pay £24 more per year if they continue with their existing package.
How the £2,000 bill can build up
The latest increase means millions of viewers face higher costs for watching their favourite films, dramas and sport. Households increasingly find themselves paying for several different services to get the programmes, films and sport they want. A household determined to have a very broad selection of major TV, film and sports services could face a bill of around £151.91 a month in an illustrative high-end basket, totalling £1,822.92 a year. Adding the £180 BBC TV licence brings the total to £2,002.92 a year.
In reality, many households will buy access to streaming services in bundles, rather than individually, which will bring down the headline figure. However, the figures give an idea of just how expensive subscriptions have become following repeated increases.
Where the money goes (illustrative monthly total)
- Netflix Premium - £18.99
- Disney+ Premium - £14.99
- Paramount+ Premium - £12.99
- Apple TV+ Standard - £9.99
- Amazon Prime - £8.99
- NOW Entertainment/HBO Max - £9.99
- NOW Cinema - £9.99
- NOW Sports - £34.99
- TNT Sports Full package - £30.99
- Total - £151.91
How families can cut the cost
Buying TV service bundles can make a major difference. For example, Sky's Ultimate TV package brings together Sky TV with Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max and Hayu, meaning customers can avoid paying separately for those services. Sky's packages vary according to promotions and customer circumstances, so consumers should check exactly what is included before taking out individual subscriptions.
EE TV also offers bundles combining television and broadband with services including Netflix, NOW and sports options such as TNT Sports. Virgin Media offers TV and broadband packages with options including Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, Sky Sports and TNT Sports.
Don't let subscriptions drain your bank account
The streaming subscription trap is that individual charges can look relatively harmless. But several direct debits leaving a bank account every month can quickly turn into hundreds of pounds a year. Consumers should go through their bank statements and identify every TV and streaming payment. They should then check whether any of those services are already included in an existing Sky, EE, Virgin Media or other bundle. It is also worth asking whether every subscription is actually being used. If a family has signed up to watch one particular series, cancelling after finishing it and returning later can be much cheaper than paying throughout the year.
