Lockdown has left many of us more reliant than ever on our Netflix subscriptions - but with prices going up, some
The streaming service's subscription costs are being raised for the third time in three years, and this month customers have started to receive warnings of the change.
The priciest plan will now cost £13.99 a month - but there's a way to dodge the charge and stick with a budget option, The Mirror reports.
If signed up to Netflix's standard or premium plans a few years back, you might have forgotten there's a cheaper way to access all the platform's shows.
The option was highlighted by Money Saving Expert founder Martin Lewis, who is known for helping Brits keep their costs down.
Speaking on Thursday's ITV Money Show, he said: "[Netflix] is hiking prices - up £1 a month for its standard, up £2 a month on its premium...
"So what's my key tip? Well, check now what package you are on. You may be able to downgrade.
"A basic package, which isn't moving in price, is £6 a month.
"You can only use one device at a time - multiple devices but only one at a time - and it's only SD [standard definition]. It's not HD [high definition] on that one."
However, Martin suggested that those streaming from their mobile phone or tablet may not notice much of a difference between the two options.
The £5.99 basic plan means you won't be able to share your Netflix login with friends or family as only one person can watch at a time. But if it's just for you that could be a much cheaper way to keep on streaming your favourite films and shows.
Netflix standard customers will see their bills jump to £9.99 a month, while thepremium plan, which allows you to view programmes in HD and Ultra HD, will rise from £11.99 to £13.99.
Netflix said it started notifying customers on January 1, and all of its 13 million UK customers will be contacted "in the next couple of months".
However, those who joined Netflix on or after December 10 are unaffected as they already joined on the higher rates.
