A new study has revealed that 1.3 million UK households could be missing out on a cheaper broadband deal simply because of forgetfulness. The research found that over three-quarters (77%) of broadband users don’t switch providers as regularly as needed to maximise savings. Of these users, 6% said they don’t switch more often because they just forget to look for better deals.

As a result, these households could be missing out on an average saving of up to £58 on their yearly broadband bill, if they switched to the cheapest deal available for the same speeds. This means users are leaving up to £76.6 million worth of savings up for grabs nationwide.

The research comes from Go.Compare broadband, which applied the results of its latest survey to ONS data to estimate how many homes are forgetting to switch regularly. It then compared how much Brits pay for their broadband to its internal sales figures to calculate how much could be saved by switching.

Women in particular are twice as likely to forget to look out for cheaper broadband deals. Around 8% of women who don’t switch regularly gave forgetfulness as a reason, compared to 4% of men. Younger users are also more likely to make this error, as one in 10 under-35s who don’t switch regularly stated that forgetfulness was a reason why. Just 4% of over-54s make the same mistake.

While many users cited forgetfulness, convenience was the most common reason for not changing providers more often. Of those who don’t switch regularly, around two in five (39%) gave this reason, saying it’s easier to keep their current provider, despite the introduction of Ofcom’s One Touch Switch process last year.

A similar percentage (37%) said they don’t switch if their current provider has been highly reliable. A smaller proportion (16%) admitted they didn’t think they’d be able to find a cheaper deal, despite the high potential savings on offer. Others said their provider delivers good customer service, or that their package includes a TV deal they want to keep, both of which were picked by 15% of those surveyed.

However, many users said they will change if they are unhappy with their provider for some reason. Just over a fifth (22%) said they usually switch when their provider increases prices, while one in 10 said they do so if their service becomes too unreliable. A smaller percentage (2%) said they would switch if their provider starts slowing down their speeds.

Catherine Hiley, broadband expert at Go.Compare, said: “Things like introductory rates and mid-contract price rises are commonplace in broadband deals, so you’re more likely to see costs creeping up if you stick with the same provider for a long time. This means you can usually find a cheaper deal by comparing packages when your contract is up, without having to settle for slower speeds.

“The best time to compare deals is around a month before your contract ends, as this means you’ll avoid paying any early exit fees. Of course, it can be easy for this to slip your mind, so it’s worth setting a reminder on your phone or calendar for when it’s time to look over deals.

“Changing providers is much more straightforward these days, too, as Ofcom launched its ‘One Touch Switch’ process last September. When you buy a deal from a new provider, they’ll tell your current provider that you’re leaving, so there’s no need to be put off by the thought of switching being a hassle.”

More statistics about switching broadband providers can be found on Go.Compare’s website.