Phone & internet
Phone & internet · the UK
Checked 2026-10-14

📵 My phone or internet is down: do I get compensation in the UK?

The short answer

Report a landline or broadband fault to your provider. If it has signed up to Ofcom's automatic compensation scheme, you should get compensation, without asking, when the fault isn't fully fixed after two full working days.

When your line is down, your provider has to repair it. In some countries you get compensation if a fault is not fixed in time; what applies in the UK, and what it means for emergency calls, is below.

Official source: ofcom.org.uk · Checked 2026-10-14

📜 The rules in the UK

Compensation

Under Ofcom's automatic compensation scheme you should be compensated when a fault isn't fully fixed after two full working days, an engineer misses an appointment or cancels with under 24 hours' notice, or a new service starts late.

Emergency calls

Calls to 999 and 112 are free. Digital landlines don't work in a power cut without a back-up. On a mobile, 999 connects through another network if yours has no signal and another one is available.

The details

  • Every provider must let you call 999 and 112 free of charge, and pass your location to the emergency services where technically feasible. (ofcom.org.uk)
  • Internet-based phone services must tell you that emergency calls may stop working in a power cut or if your internet connection fails. (ofcom.org.uk)
  • If you rely on your landline and have no working mobile or reliable signal, your provider must offer you a free back-up, such as a battery unit, that keeps you able to call emergency services for at least one hour in a power cut. (ofcom.org.uk)
  • While a fault is being fixed, you can ask your provider for an account credit, and for extra credit if repairs take a long time. (ofcom.org.uk)

Ofcom

The UK communications regulator. It sets and enforces the rules for phone and broadband providers. It can't investigate or resolve individual complaints, but reporting faults and problems to it helps it act on wider issues.

📞 0300 123 3333🔗 ofcom.org.uk
Official source: ofcom.org.uk · Checked 2026-10-14

🪜 Step by step

  1. Report the fault right awayCall or use the provider’s fault service, and note the date, time and reference number.
  2. Keep a recordWrite down how long the service is down and what you could not do.
  3. Ask for compensation or a refundIf the fault is not fixed in time, ask in writing for the compensation or price reduction that applies.
  4. Escalate if neededIf the provider refuses, complain in writing and then go to the dispute body.

📇 Who to contact

OfcomThe UK communications regulator. It sets and enforces the rules for phone and broadband providers. It can't investigate or resolve individual complaints, but reporting faults and problems to it helps it act on wider issues.📞 0300 123 3333🔗 www.ofcom.org.uk
Communications Ombudsman or CISAS (the scheme your provider belongs to)Settles disputes between customers and providersWhen the provider has not solved your complaint🔗 www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/service-quality/adr-schemes

❓ Questions

Can I still call emergency services during an outage?

Emergency calls from a mobile phone usually go through any available network. If your phone cannot connect, ask someone nearby to call.

Is a short outage compensated?

Usually only longer faults or missed repair appointments are. The rule for the UK, if there is one, is on this page.

What if the faults keep coming back?

Repeated faults can give you the right to a lower price or to end the contract. Ask the regulator or the dispute body.

📎 Sources

Checked: 2026-10-14

🧭 Is this still correct?

We check this information carefully, but phone numbers, websites and rules change — and sometimes we get something wrong. Spotted a mistake or a change? Let us know below.

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