As the COVID-19 pandemic batters every corner of the world, people are stuck at home to work and study, and Netflix is one of the best-go places to escape from reality. Unfortunately, as Deadline initially reported, Netflix has recently rolled out price hikes for existing paid users from the UK this week.
"Standard tier users will now pay £9.99, instead of £8.99, while Premium users will fork out an extra £2, receiving a monthly bill of £13.99. The Basic plan will be kept at the same price of £5.99," the report reads. However, this change has already been implemented for new users since December 10, 2020.
Netflix will notify existing members via email and the mobile app within a month before the change applies. The streaming platform offers four different plans, ranging from Standard to Ultra HD. The cheapest plan allows two screens to use one account at the same time, while Premium gives four-screen and Ultra HD quality viewing.
So, why all of a sudden? In fact, subscribers in the UK aren't the only ones who are subject to the change, as users from the US and Canada have already experienced a similar move.
Why?
In a statement, Netflix confirms the price hike as a reflection of the company's improvement to the service and its $1 billion investment in the UK content.
"Our price change reflects the significant investments we've made in new TV shows and films, as well as improvements to our product. Our basic membership will remain at the same price, ensuring as many people as possible can enjoy our content," says the spokesman.
"This year we're spending over $1bn in the UK on new, locally-made films, series and documentaries, helping to create thousands of jobs and showcasing British storytelling at its best - with everything from The Crown, to Sex Education and Top Boy, plus many, many more."
Best Netflix Shows to Binge-Watch
Speaking of Netflix, despite the price hike, there are still a plethora of excellent titles to binge-watch at the moment.
Noe into its fourth season, The Crown remains one of the most famous shows in the UK that portrays the British royal life at its best and worst. Sex Education, a comedic play about a group of high school students navigating the murky water of their sexuality and hormones, is also one of the most-watched on the platform.
If you're a fan of foreign shows, La Casa de Papel/Money Heist is a serious consideration. It takes place in Spain, where several highly motivated robbers with nothing to lose gear up to rob the country's Royal Mint.
Besides, Netflix also partners up with several other streaming services, like AMC, to obtain the rights to some of the best series the TV has ever seen like "Breaking Bad."
