The lesser-known phone companies which operate on EE, O2, Vodafone and Three networks

As the cost of living crisis continues to surge, millions of households will be looking for ways to save money. Energy bills, council tax and National Insurance rates are all rising from April.

From double-checking the benefits you might be entitled to and shopping around for cheaper broadband deals to draught-proofing you house and selling clothes and household items you no longer use, there have been a plethora of tips shared to help people save a bit of extra money where possible.

But one every day item which often gets overlooked is the cost of mobile phone contracts. A third of Brits could be wasting money by not doing anything when their phone contract ends, according to the latest research by iD Mobile.

Read more: Cost of living mobile phone change could save you up to £360 a year

People could be losing out on £156 a year on average - and in some instances up to £360 - by not switching their mobile network provider.

Most contracts will encompass the price of the mobile phone itself (handset) and the minutes, texts and data included in the package (inclusive usage). However, the cost of these contracts on a like-for-like basis (same phone and usage inclusions) can differ immensely across networks – sometimes as much as £30 per month.

The latest research from iD Mobile showed that two fifths (39%) of UK adults wouldn’t consider switching to a lesser-known mobile network, with 50% concerned that the network coverage may not be as good. This is in spite of the fact that the lesser-known mobile networks are all powered by either EE, O2, Vodafone or Three, benefiting from the same level of coverage.

Here is a break down of the lesser-known mobile networks and the major carriers they're powered by...