Most broadband and landline customers will now get more compensation for each day their service is down.
Customers of the UK’s major broadband providers must receive payments when their connection stops working and is not fixed after two working days, under a voluntary scheme organised by communications regulator Ofcom.
When you report that your service is down, you will now receive £10.34 in compensation automatically if it isn’t fixed after two working days, and then £10.34 for each day it is not fixed after that, up from £8 previously.
You will also receive £32.31 in compensation if an engineer misses your scheduled appointment, which is up from £25. If your broadband provider fails to start a new service on the promised date, you will be paid £6.46 for each calendar day it is delayed, up from £5.
Automatic compensation increases are in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) measure of inflation from October 2025.
Who will get compensation?
The following providers have to pay compensation: BT, Sky, Virgin Media, TalkTalk, EE, Plusnet, Vodafone, Hyperoptic, Utility Warehouse and Zen Internet.
However, compensation for customers on TalkTalk and Vodafone will depend on what network you’re on. For example, only TalkTalk customers who have their service provided by Openreach will get paid for loss of service and missed repair appointments. Check the full criteria on your provider’s website and reach out to customer support to find out more.
Under the scheme, your broadband or landline need to be completely down. You will still be compensated even if the outage is caused by an event outside of the provider’s control, for example, extreme weather.
After 30 days of receiving automatic compensation, your provider can get in touch to let you know that these payments will stop after a further 30 days. Then, they must give you a suitable alternative service, otherwise you will continue to be entitled to automatic compensation.
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How to claim compensation
Report the fault to your provider straight away. If the issue isn’t fixed within the specified timeframe, you should receive compensation automatically within 30 days.
This will be credited to your to bill unless stated otherwise.
If you don’t get compensation, contact your provider and explain why you think you’re eligible. If the issue still isn’t resolved, you can escalate your complaint to an Ofcom-approved dispute resolution service for free.
When are you not entitled to compensation?
Customers of smaller broadband firms such as Community Fibre, Giffgaff and Gigaclear will not be entitled to compensation under Ofcom’s scheme.
However, you should still report any faults to your provider and, if you have been inconvenienced by the lack of service, ask for a goodwill payment.
You won’t be paid compensation under Ofcom’s scheme if your broadband was down for fewer than two working days after you reported the fault. You also won’t be entitled if the loss of service was caused by something within your control, for example, damage to the router or wiring inside your home.
Similarly, you won’t be paid compensation if you prevent the issue from being resolved within two days – for example, if you ask for an engineer appointment that is two working days after you have reported the fault – or breach your contract in some way.
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