Cancel Sunday Times the easy way

Overview

The Sunday Times is a long-established UK newspaper brand publishing a weekly Sunday title plus digital content and cross-brand access with The Times. It is managed by THE SUNDAY TIMES LIMITED and sits under News UK, a subsidiary of News Corp.

What you get as a subscriber

Subscribers receive digital access to The Times and The Sunday Times via website, smartphone apps, tablet apps and a digital edition. Some plans also include print delivery on selected days and Times+ rewards.

Company facts

For terms and official help see the Official terms and conditions and the Help centre.

Web / Account cancellation

1. Sign in to your account on thetimes.com.
2. Go to subscription or account settings and look for cancellation or manage subscription.
3. If you cannot cancel online, use the help pages or call Customer Services at 0800 018 5177.
4. Keep a screenshot of the account status and any confirmation email.

iOS (App Store) cancellation

1. Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap your name, then Subscriptions.
3. Find the Times / Sunday Times subscription and tap Cancel Subscription.
4. Keep the Apple confirmation email or screenshot as proof.

Android (Google Play) cancellation

1. Open the Google Play Store app.
2. Tap your profile icon, then Payments & subscriptions, then Subscriptions.
3. Select the Times / Sunday Times subscription and tap Cancel subscription.
4. Save the Google Play confirmation as proof.

Phone cancellation

1. Call Customer Services on 0800 018 5177 (UK).
2. Provide your name, registered email and subscription details.
3. Ask for an immediate confirmation reference and an email confirmation to the registered address.
4. Note the name of the agent, date and time of the call.

Email cancellation

1. Send an email from your registered address to [email protected] with subject 'Cancel subscription'.
2. Include your full name, registered email, subscription ID if known and desired cancellation date.
3. Request written confirmation of cancellation and any refund due within 14 days.

Post cancellation

1. Write a signed letter stating your full name, address, registered email and request to cancel.
2. Send by registered post to Sunday Times, London Bridge Street, SE1 9GF London, United Kingdom.
3. Keep the Royal Mail proof of posting and wait for written confirmation from the company.

Cooling-off (14-day statutory right)

Rule - Under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 you have a 14-day right to cancel a distance contract from the day of purchase and obtain a full refund if cancelled within that period. If you cancel within 14 days, all payments received must be refunded to the same payment method.

Required proof - date of purchase and proof of payment (order email or bank statement). Applicable law: Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 (2013 Regulations).

End of minimum commitment

Rule - If your subscription has a minimum term, call Customer Services at least 2 days before the next billing date to stop renewal after the minimum term. If you miss the 2-day window your subscription may renew and you will be charged for the next period.

Required proof - account details and date of requested cancellation; keep phone confirmation or email. Applicable law: Consumer Rights Act 2015 for contract fairness.

Price increase

Rule - If the company increases the price during your contract term and the contract allows you to exit for that reason, you may be able to cancel without penalty. Check your contract terms and request cancellation citing the change.

Required proof - notification of price increase or your billing showing increased amount. Applicable law: Consumer Rights Act 2015 regarding unfair terms.

Death of the subscriber

Rule - Death is a legitimate ground to end a subscription. Provide proof and request closure or transfer if the account was on a family plan.

Required proof - copy of death certificate and account holder details. Applicable law: Consumer Rights Act 2015.

Legitimate grounds and service fault

Rule - If the service is not provided with reasonable care and skill, or if access is repeatedly faulty, Consumer Rights Act 2015 gives rights to a remedy which can include contract termination.

Required proof - logs of service failure, correspondence with support and dates. Applicable law: Consumer Rights Act 2015.

Before you cancel: negotiate

Retention offers - Research does not publish specific retention offers available from Sunday Times. To request a retention offer call Customer Services on 0800 018 5177 and say you want to retain service but need a better price. Ask explicitly for any promotional rate, longer introductory rate or an alternative plan. Record the agent name and the offer details in writing before accepting.

What cancelling saves - compute yearly savings

Compute annual cost for common plans using published prices:

• Digital Access: 26 x 12 = £312 per year.
• Digital Plus: 39 x 12 = £468 per year.
• Weekend Print + Digital: 39 x 12 = £468 per year.
• Full Print + Digital: 52 x 12 = £624 per year.
• Premium All-Access: 78 x 12 = £936 per year.

Example saving - switching from Premium All-Access (£78/month) to Digital Access (£26/month) saves 78 - 26 = £52 per month. Yearly saving = £52 x 12 = £624 per year.

Cheapest real alternative without cancelling - move to Digital Access at £26/month if you do not need daily print delivery. This reduces cost compared with higher-tier plans.

Key consumer law in the United Kingdom

Your statutory cooling-off right comes from the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013. Services must be provided with reasonable care and skill under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. See the statutory text: Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 and Consumer Rights Act 2024 (cooling-off reference).

How to escalate a cancellation dispute

Step 1 - Complain to Sunday Times Customer Services and keep written records. Step 2 - If unresolved, get advice from Citizens Advice and consider a chargeback with your card issuer or Section 75 claim for qualifying credit card payments. Step 3 - If you suspect a crime such as fraud, report to Action Fraud and inform your bank. The CMA treats hard-to-cancel subscriptions and unclear auto-renewal terms as potential unfair practices.

Check access and final billing

After cancellation confirm the end date of access and check the final bill. If you cancelled during the 14-day cooling-off period you should receive a refund to the same payment method.

Data and account retention

Export any saved content or puzzles before your access ends. Request account deletion or data access via the help pages if desired. Keep copies of confirmation emails and any agent names for 6 months.

Re-activation and re-subscription

If you re-subscribe later, new promotional rates may apply. Contact Customer Services or subscribe via the website. Re-activation may require a new payment and the billing cycle will start from the date of the new subscription.

Follow these steps in order to cancel and protect your rights.

• Find your subscription confirmation email and payment method details.
• Decide your preferred cancellation method: phone, email, app store or post.
• If within 14 days, cancel and request a full refund citing the 14-day cooling-off right.
• If calling, use 0800 018 5177 and request written confirmation. Note the agent name and time.
• If cancelling via App Store or Google Play, keep the store confirmation email as proof.
• Hold onto confirmation emails or phone reference numbers for 6 months.
• If you are charged after cancelling, prepare evidence and escalate to Citizens Advice and your card issuer for chargeback or Section 75 claims.