How to stay in control of Microsoft 365 price rises

Microsoft 365 prices increase on 1 July 2026. Here’s how you can stay in control

Microsoft will raise commercial Microsoft 365 prices on 1 July 2026. For UK organisations already under budget pressure, this change adds more strain at a time when security, cloud usage and AI adoption are accelerating.

The increase isn’t something you can avoid, but you can do something to control overspend inside your Microsoft tenants. Many organisations are paying for unused licences, low workload adoption and Azure resources that are sitting idle. Fixing these issues can significantly soften the impact of the price rise.

Our free Streamline 365 health check gives leaders clarity. It shows exactly where money is being wasted and where improvements can be made.

What the price rise means in reality

Microsoft is adjusting pricing across several Microsoft 365 commercial plans on 1 July. Even modest increases become costly when multiplied across an entire workforce, and for many, this will hit renewal cycles almost immediately.

If you’re carrying licence waste or oversized cloud resources, the cost of inaction will rise along with the new Microsoft pricing.

Where most organisations are overspending

Our free Streamline 365 health checks reveal the same issues again and again. These problems are avoidable, and they get more expensive the moment pricing goes up:

1. Licences that no one is using

Many organisations pay for licences that are not assigned or are assigned to inactive users. In one health check, four percent of licences were unattached to any user. This added up to a significant annual saving once corrected.

2. Low adoption of apps that are already paid for

Tools like Loop, SharePoint and Teams are often underused. Streamline 365 gives a clear picture of who is using what, and where the licence type does not match the actual need.

3. Copilot deployment without real readiness

AI licensing can become expensive if assigned blindly. Streamline 365 identifies which users are ready for Copilot based on their current usage patterns across Microsoft 365. This prevents you from paying for AI licences that provide no value.

4. Azure services that are costing money while doing nothing

Idle and oversized Azure resources appear in almost every assessment. Streamline 365 highlights these clearly and provides conservative saving estimates to avoid overpromising.

5. Security weaknesses that block progress

The Streamline 365 platform assesses Secure Score and zero-trust categories, allowing you to prioritise improvements that reduce risk and support future transformation.

Why act now?

With July’s pricing changes approaching, UK organisations have a short window to uncover waste and take control. Early action means:

• More predictable budgeting
• Better licence alignment
• Stronger security posture
• Clearer planning for AI and Copilot
• Less surprise at renewal time

The sooner the health check is run, the more savings you can capture ahead of the new pricing.

What our free Streamline 365 health check delivers

Streamline 365 provides a fast, secure and non-intrusive way to analyse your Microsoft 365 and Azure estates. The platform uses read-only delegated access and cannot change anything within your environment.

You receive insights that cover:

• Licence utilisation and waste
• User adoption and engagement
• Copilot readiness
• Azure resource optimisation
• Cost forecasts and anomaly alerts
• Governance, tagging and compliance
• Security scoring with clear priorities

All insights are presented in a simple, executive-ready report and supporting dashboards. Typical customers see opportunities ranging from 2.9 percent to 19.1 percent optimisation depending on the size and maturity of their environment.

How it works

1. We provide you with links that allow us read only access to your tenant info
2. A Global Admin grants the read-only access.
3. Streamline 365 securely ingests the data.
4. Within 7 days, Wavenet provides the full report.
5. You decide what to do with the insights. Wavenet can support you or you can take action on the recommendations internally.

Get ahead of the July 2026 price increase

The price rise is coming. Overspend does not need to. Streamline 365 gives you the visibility you need to reduce waste, improve security and prepare for the future of Microsoft 365 and AI.

Your organisation can run the health check at no cost. All that is required is a Global Admin to approve read-only access. Everything else is handled securely.