Many UK broadband users are spending too much each month on their internet services, a new study has suggested.

Research conducted by Computeractive suggests that many households are paying for high-speed services they do not require – unnecessarily adding to their bills.

If consumers enjoy streaming media content, gaming, or consume large volumes of data, it makes sense to pay for a higher tier broadband deal.

Selecting an entry-level broadband package may lead to reduced broadband quality – particularly for media rich services – or see extra charges incurred for exceeding the monthly usage allowance.

But where households have only modest online requirements – for instance, basic browsing and email use – there is little point signing up for super-fast fibre services and a bumper usage allowance.

According to the Computeractive survey, as many as 85 per cent of broadband subscribers may be paying a premium for services they do not require.

As such, many of these consumers could sign up for a cheaper broadband deal without their user experience being affected.

The study, which considered 2,000 responses, found that consumers could save themselves an average of £6.12 per month by signing up for a more appropriate broadband deal.

Currently, the average person in the UK pays £15.72 per month for their broadband connection, but Computeractive believes this figure could be reduced to £9.60 without any impact on customer service levels.

Older consumers in particular – those who are less likely to play online games or watch TV online – are being urged to look again at their choice of broadband deal, and consider switching to a different tariff.

At present, people in the over-55 age category are spending an average of £17 per month on broadband services, the study revealed.