Gigabit broadband in the UK: Government targets, policy, and funding

The government’s target is for next-generation, gigabit broadband to be available to 99% of UK premises by 2032. This paper discusses the background to these targets and recent government policies and funding to support the rollout of gigabit broadband.

The UK Government has primary responsibility for broadband policy and coverage targets because telecommunications is a reserved power. However, the delivery of broadband infrastructure projects often involves local authorities or devolved responsibilities, such as building regulations, planning and business rates.

What is gigabit broadband?

Gigabit broadband means a broadband connection capable of download speeds of at least 1 gigabit-per-second (1 Gbps or 1,000 megabits per second, Mbps). A 1 Gbps download speed would allow a high-definition film to be downloaded in under 1 minute.

Gigabit-capable broadband can be delivered by a range of technologies, including full fibre, high-speed cable broadband, and (potentially) wireless technologies.

New gigabit-capable networks are primarily being built using full fibre technology. The cable broadband network is owned by Virgin Media O2. Wireless networks may be the most economically viable option in very hard to reach areas.

Where is gigabit broadband available currently?

As of July 2025, 85.9% of UK premises had a gigabit broadband connection available according to Ofcom, the telecoms regulator.

Separately, the broadband data website Thinkbroadband.com publishes regular coverage updates. It estimated that 90.5% of premises could get gigabit broadband in April 2026. Thinkbroadband uses a different methodology to Ofcom and its coverage figures tend to be slightly higher.

Government targets

The government’s current target of reaching 99% of premises by 2032 was announced in the 2025 Spending Review. It represents a delay of two years compared to the Conservative Government’s target of at least 99% coverage by 2030, announced in the Levelling Up white paper (February 2022). That target was itself a delay compared to the Conservative Party’s 2019 manifesto commitment to deliver nationwide coverage by 2025.

An interim target to reach 85% of UK premises by 2025, announced in the 2020 National Infrastructure Strategy, has been met.

Ofcom has estimated that if operators’ stated network deployment plans (commercial and subsidised) are achieved, 97% of UK premises could have gigabit-capable broadband by January 2028.

How is gigabit broadband being rolled out?

Broadband networks are built by private companies such as Openreach, Virgin Media, and City Fibre.

The policy of successive governments has been that gigabit broadband infrastructure will be mostly built using private investment alone, with public subsidies for the remaining premises.

The Labour Government has continued this approach of supporting the private sector through policy reforms and targeting subsidies at areas that would otherwise be left out.

Policy reforms to meet the target

Policy reforms have focused on making it easier for the telecoms industry to build infrastructure, and to promote competition among companies building broadband networks.

Reforms include making it easier to access land to install infrastructure and to require that new homes are built with gigabit-broadband installed. Ofcom has sought to encourage new entrants to compete with Openreach (the company that operates BT’s broadband network) while also allowing Openreach to make a return on its own investment in full fibre. Industry stakeholders have called for further tax relief on new broadband investments and for the government to address skilled labour shortages.

Public funding for gigabit broadband

The government has promised £5 billion to subsidise the roll-out of gigabit broadband to premises that will not be reached by private investment.

The funding programme is called Project Gigabit. It is delivered by Building Digital UK (BDUK), a directorate within the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

Project Gigabit has three main parts:

• Contracts awarded to a network operator to subsidise the large-scale deployment of gigabit-capable broadband in defined area. Broadband suppliers bid for contracts to build in each area.
• A voucher scheme for residents and businesses in eligible areas to subsidise the cost of a new gigabit-capable connection.
• Funding to connect public sector buildings such as schools (called ‘GigaHubs’).

BDUK publishes regular updates showing the progress of contracts it has awarded. As of March 2026, over 1 million premises were included in Project Gigabit contracts, of which 227,310 had been reached. The government has published a gigabit broadband address checker where people in England and Wales can see whether they will are part of a Project Gigabit contract. There are similar address checkers for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Some Project Gigabit deployments have faced delays, with contracts being scaled back or terminated and reallocated to another provider. This has affected contracts covering Cheshire, Cornwall, Peak District, Mid West Shropshire, North Shropshire, and West Herefordshire and Forest of Dean.

The devolved administrations also have their own broadband subsidy projects ongoing that are building gigabit capable connections. These are the R100 programme in Scotland, the forthcoming Extending high speed broadband project in Wales, and Project Stratum in Northern Ireland (completed in July 2025).

‘Very hard to reach’ premises

The government expects there to be some premises that will be too expensive to reach with current Project Gigabit funding. It is exploring alternative connectivity options for these premises, such as fixed wireless broadband and satellite broadband.