Amazon is officially increasing the cost of Prime memberships in the UK, with the new changes taking place from September 15, 2022. Prime will soon cost £95 a year, a £16 increase from the current price of £79.
The issue is a lot of us probably don't want to pay any more than we currently are for Prime. Thankfully, there are already a few workarounds to check out. So, to give you a headstart, here are a few ways around the new charges, at least for the next year.
1. Sign Up or Switch to 1-Year of Amazon Prime
To avoid the price hike, there is an easy trick if you can stomach giving even more money to Amazon. Right now if you purchase, or switch to an annual membership, it will cost just £79, and you won't have to pay the hiked £95 price until this time next year.
Moreover, say you're currently on the monthly membership and you've already paid for this month's coverage, Amazon will actually refund this back to you. So, best case scenario, you're paying £71.09 for a year of Prime (equivalent to £5.92/per month), or worst case you're paying the original £79 (equivalent to £6.58/month).
Unfortunately, for those who already pay yearly, this isn't the best option, unless your renewal is due before September 15. If your renewal is after September 15, you might be better off contacting Amazon to see if you can cancel your membership and get a refund for the time you have left.
2. Sign Up for Amazon Prime Student
Student membership is also increasing from £3.99 to £4.49 in September, and the annual cost will increase from £39.00 to £47.49. But, if you're a student, or you have a generous student in your life, you can still get Prime for very little at the moment.
3. Cancel Amazon Prime Altogether
Yeah, I know, a bit of a rogue choice. But ask yourself this, is Prime worth it to you? If it's not a resounding yes, then maybe consider just cancelling the service altogether.
Is Amazon Prime Increasing in Price in the UK?
Yes, Prime will be going up in price for the UK soon. Breaking down the new costs coming in September; if you're paying monthly, that's £7.99/month or £95.88 yearly, this is increasing to £8.99/month, or £107.88 yearly, a £12 increase overall.
By comparison, yearly memberships are skyrocketing from £79/year to £95/year — almost matching the inflated cost of paying monthly before the price hike, and a £16 increase. So, if you're looking to avoid these price increases, it might not be a bad idea to elevate your membership to a yearly one. So, at least you're paying a little bit less until the summer of 2023 rolls around.
Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.