Key takeaways, 2026
- GBVS is closed: the original UK-wide Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme stopped accepting new applications in 2024.
- Project Gigabit replaces it: a £5 billion programme run by Building Digital UK, with supplementary vouchers in selected lots.
- Headline values: up to £4,500 per business and £2,500 per resident, paid directly to the supplier.
- Postcode-driven: eligibility depends on the active lot in your area, checked on gov.uk or with a participating supplier.
£4,500
Max per business
Project Gigabit, 2026.
£2,500
Max per resident
Residential top-up.
£5bn
Programme funding
Total Project Gigabit budget.
1 Gbps
Minimum speed
Gigabit-capable threshold.
What changed: from GBVS to Project Gigabit
The original Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme (GBVS), launched in 2018, offered businesses up to £3,500 and residents up to £1,500 towards the cost of a gigabit-capable connection. It worked through grouped applications: neighbours pooled their vouchers to make a rural fibre build commercially viable. GBVS closed to new applications in 2024 after a final round of regional top-up schemes wound down.
The replacement is Project Gigabit, a UK government programme run by Building Digital UK (BDUK) with roughly £5 billion of funding. Its primary route is procurement: BDUK contracts suppliers to build full-fibre networks in specific geographic "lots" covering the hardest-to-reach 20% of premises that commercial rollout will not reach. Alongside the procurement contracts, BDUK runs supplementary voucher schemes in selected areas, with values up to £4,500 per business and £2,500 per residential premise in 2026.
How the 2026 voucher actually works
The voucher is not a cheque. You never see the money: the supplier deducts it from the installation cost on your final bill. The process is straightforward once you confirm eligibility.
Check eligibility
Use the postcode checker on the Project Gigabit page at gov.uk, or contact one of the participating suppliers. Confirm the active lot covers your address.
Pick a supplier
Choose from the authorised list (Openreach via partners, CityFibre, Gigaclear, B4RN, Trooli, Lightspeed Broadband and selected altnets). Sign a minimum 12-month contract.
Install and pay
The supplier handles the BDUK paperwork. The voucher is deducted from your installation bill. You pay only the remainder, then the monthly service fee.
Eligibility criteria in detail
The 2026 voucher scheme is far more restrictive than the original GBVS, because Project Gigabit is targeted at premises commercial suppliers will not reach. Five conditions apply:
- The premises must be in an eligible postcode, defined by the active Project Gigabit lot in your area ;
- The existing connection must be below the gigabit threshold, typically under 100 Mbps download ;
- The new connection must be gigabit-capable, meaning 1,000 Mbps download or more on the headline tariff ;
- The supplier must be on the BDUK authorised list for that lot ;
- The contract minimum term is usually 12 months, with the voucher recovered if the customer leaves earlier.
Businesses must also be UK-registered with a valid Companies House number or HMRC self-employment registration. Residents must be the bill-payer at the property. Mixed-use buildings can apply separately for the business and residential portions.
Participating suppliers in 2026
The authorised supplier list rotates as BDUK awards new procurement lots, but a stable set of names runs the bulk of the voucher business in 2026:
| Supplier | Coverage focus | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Openreach | Nationwide, via reseller ISPs | Incumbent fibre wholesaler |
| CityFibre | Urban and suburban towns | Largest UK altnet |
| Gigaclear | Rural Midlands and South West | Rural altnet |
| B4RN | Lancashire, Cumbria, Yorkshire | Community-owned, mutual |
| Trooli | South East England | Regional altnet |
| Lightspeed Broadband | Lincolnshire, East Midlands | Regional altnet |
| Local altnets | Various lots, varies quarterly | Check BDUK list |
Source: gov.uk Project Gigabit. Always verify the current authorised list before signing.
If you cannot get a voucher, what else works
Most UK postcodes do not qualify for a Project Gigabit voucher because they are already served, or about to be served, by commercial rollout. That is not bad news: in most of the country, full-fibre is available through Openreach FTTP, CityFibre, or a local altnet without any voucher needed. The alternatives, in order of preference:
- Openreach FTTP via a major ISP (BT, Sky, TalkTalk, Vodafone, Zen, Plusnet): the most widely available full-fibre option in 2026 ;
- CityFibre via Vodafone, Zen, TalkTalk or Hyperoptic: independent fibre in 60+ UK towns and cities ;
- 5G fixed-wireless from EE, Three or Vodafone: useful where fibre is at least a year away ;
- Starlink satellite: viable for genuinely remote rural sites tolerant of higher latency ;
- A leased line: the guaranteed-speed option for mission-critical business sites.
Frequently asked questions
No. The original UK-wide Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme (GBVS) closed for new applications in 2024. Its successor is Project Gigabit, a roughly £5 billion programme run by Building Digital UK (BDUK). Project Gigabit delivers gigabit-capable broadband to the hardest-to-reach 20% of UK premises mainly through procurement contracts, and runs supplementary voucher schemes in selected lots as a top-up. If you live or work in one of those areas, vouchers worth up to £4,500 per business and £2,500 per resident are available in 2026.
Under the current Project Gigabit supplementary scheme the headline limits are up to £4,500 per business premise and up to £2,500 per residential premise, paid directly to the supplier as a contribution to the cost of installing a full-fibre connection. In practice the amount you can claim depends on the active lot in your area, the supplier participating, and any top-up from your local authority. Always confirm the current limit on gov.uk or with the supplier before signing.
Eligibility is postcode-driven. The premises must be in a designated rural or hard-to-reach area not covered by existing commercial rollout plans, and the existing connection must be below the gigabit-capable threshold (typically 100 Mbps). Businesses must be UK-registered, residents must be the bill-payer at the address, and the new connection must be gigabit-capable (1,000 Mbps or more). Many schemes also require a minimum contract term of 12 months with the participating supplier.
Use the postcode checker on gov.uk at the Project Gigabit page, or contact one of the participating suppliers directly (B4RN, Gigaclear, CityFibre, Openreach via partners) for a coverage check. The same postcode can have different voucher availability depending on which lot is currently active, so it is worth checking again every quarter. Eligibility status can also change if a commercial supplier announces a rollout in your area.
The participating supplier list changes as BDUK awards new lots, but consistent names in 2026 include Openreach (through its full-fibre programme), CityFibre, Gigaclear, B4RN (community-owned, Lancashire and the North), Trooli, Lightspeed Broadband and various smaller altnets. The current authorised list is published on the gov.uk Project Gigabit page. The voucher is paid to the supplier, not to you: the supplier deducts it from your installation cost.
If your postcode is on a commercial rollout plan, you are not eligible for a voucher but you are likely close to an Openreach FTTP or altnet build. Check coverage with Openreach, CityFibre or your local altnet. If you genuinely cannot get fibre, the alternatives in 2026 are 5G fixed-wireless (EE, Three, Vodafone), satellite (Starlink for high latency tolerance) or a leased line for guaranteed speed.