Save the promised date
Keep the order confirmation showing the date the provider committed to start the service.
Broadband rights guide
New broadband not active on the promised start date?
Where a signed-up provider fails to start a new fixed service on the promised date, automatic compensation can apply at £6.46 for each calendar day of delay, including the missed start date.
Start with the eligibility checker, then keep the confirmed start date, every revised date and the final activation or cancellation date.
Interactive eligibility and credit check
Do I Get Compensation if My Broadband Activation Is Delayed?
Choose the provider and enter the promised and actual activation dates. The checker estimates the delayed days and routes you to the relevant next step.
Likely statusEnter the details above
Delayed calendar days0
Estimated automatic credit£0.00
Next actionThe next step will appear here
Automatic payment: if the delay qualifies under Ofcom’s scheme, the provider should normally apply the compensation automatically, so you usually should not need to submit a separate claim. Keep the promised start date and final activation or cancellation date in case the credit is missing.
Scope: this scheme covers residential fixed broadband and landline services. Estimates remain subject to provider participation, valid exceptions and any correctly issued cease notice.
Quick-action checklist
Four Things to Do When Activation Is Delayed
Record every change
Save revised dates, failed engineer visits, temporary-service offers and cancellation notices.
Protect the old service
During a switch, keep One Touch Switch messages showing whether the previous service ended too early.
Check the final credit
Record the actual activation or cancellation date, then check the account within 30 calendar days.
Visual timeline
How delayed-activation compensation is measured
This diagram shows the dates to keep and the window where the final credit should appear once the case is complete.
Match the rule to the order
Ofcom Rules: What Counts as a Delayed Broadband Activation?
The delayed-start payment applies to a new fixed service that did not begin on the confirmed date. Match your situation to the closest result.
New service missed its start date
Likely to qualify where the provider promised a specific date but the service did not begin on that date.
Order was later cancelled
The delay can still be measured from the missed start date to the cancellation date, subject to scheme rules and exceptions.
Switch failed or old line ended
Keep both providers’ messages. The compensation category may be delayed activation, a switching failure or both separate issues.
No confirmed start date
Ask the provider to identify the committed activation date in the order record before relying on a daily estimate.
Service is active but slow
Delayed-activation compensation is not the correct category once the service is live but performing poorly.
Existing service later failed
Use outage-compensation rules when an already-active fixed service suffers a complete loss of service.
Switch went wrong? If the old service ended before the new one worked, preserve both providers’ switching notices and use the One Touch Switch problem guide alongside this compensation check.
Current automatic rate
How Much Is Delayed Broadband Activation Compensation?
For qualifying issues starting from 1 April 2026, the automatic rate is £6.46 for each calendar day of delay, including the missed start date. The provider should calculate and apply the payment automatically.
Per calendar day£6.46The missed promised start date counts as the first delayed day.
Payment deadline
The credit should normally be paid within 30 calendar days after the service starts or the delayed order is cancelled.
How it appears
Unless another form is agreed, compensation is normally added as an account or bill credit.
How delayed days are counted
Count from the promised start date up to, but not including, the date the service actually starts or the order is cancelled.
Can Providers Cap or Stop Delayed Activation Payments?
Missed start date
Automatic daily compensation begins when the promised start date is missed.
After 30 days of payments
The provider may serve a formal cease notice explaining that payments could stop after a further 30 days.
After the further notice period
Payments may stop if the scheme conditions are met. They can continue where the provider cannot supply a suitable alternative service.
Provider and product check
Which Providers Pay Automatic Delayed-Activation Compensation?
Ofcom’s current signatory list includes the providers below. A smaller full-fibre network or reseller may instead operate its own compensation charter.
BT
EE
Hyperoptic
Plusnet
Sky / NOW
TalkTalk
Utility Warehouse
Virgin Media
Vodafone
Zen Internet
Check important restrictions and exceptions
- TalkTalk: restrictions can apply to customers who are not served over the Openreach network.
- The scheme covers residential fixed broadband and landline products, not every mobile, wireless or business service.
- Payment may not apply where the customer breached the contract, caused the failure or prevented the provider from resolving it.
- A correctly issued cease notice can affect how long automatic daily payments continue.
- Events beyond the provider’s control do not automatically remove eligibility unless a specific scheme exception applies.
Independent Full Fibre or CityFibre Activation Delayed?
Check the company named on your broadband order, not only the network used for the installation. Hyperoptic is already an Ofcom scheme signatory. CityFibre operates the underlying network while the retail broadband provider manages your service and complaint. If the contracted provider—such as Community Fibre, brsk, YouFibre, Gigaclear or another CityFibre retail partner—is not on Ofcom’s current signatory list, check its own installation-compensation policy or customer charter and keep every promised date and installation message.
Verify before relying on an estimate: check the official Ofcom automatic compensation guidance and the provider’s current policy.
Prove the delay and recover a missing credit
Evidence to Keep and What to Do If Compensation Is Missing
Keep this evidence
- Order confirmation and the original promised start date.
- Every revised activation date and reason given for the delay.
- The date the service finally worked or the order was cancelled.
- Engineer, installation and address-validation references.
- One Touch Switch messages from the new and previous providers.
- Temporary-service offers, cease notices and account credits.
- Chat transcripts, emails, call dates and complaint references.
Work through the complaint route
Copy and Personalise a Delayed-Activation Complaint
Use this after the service starts or the order is cancelled and the expected credit has still not appeared within 30 calendar days. A qualifying checker result inserts the provider, dates, delayed days and illustrative amount.
This template does not guarantee eligibility. Replace all bracketed details and attach the order confirmation, revised dates and complaint reference.
ADR is free: unresolved complaints can go to the provider’s approved scheme after six weeks, or sooner with a deadlock letter. Use Ofcom’s ADR checker and guidance to identify the correct scheme.
Choose the correct claim route
Is Delayed Activation the Right Compensation Category?
Delayed activation, complete loss of service and missed appointments have different triggers and rates. Open only the route matching the event.
New service missed its promised start date
Stay on this page when a new fixed broadband service did not begin on the confirmed date.
Check Delayed Activation EligibilityExisting service is completely down
Use outage rules when an already-active fixed service stops working and remains unfixed after the qualifying period.
Check Internet Outage CompensationEngineer missed an appointment
Use appointment rules when the engineer did not attend or the provider cancelled with less than 24 hours’ notice.
Check Missed Appointment CompensationDetailed answers
Delayed Broadband Activation Compensation FAQs
How much is delayed broadband activation compensation?
For qualifying issues starting from 1 April 2026, the automatic rate is £6.46 for each calendar day of delay, including the missed start date.
When does delayed activation compensation start?
It starts when a provider fails to begin a new fixed broadband or landline service on the promised start date. The missed start date counts as the first payable day.
Which broadband providers pay automatic compensation?
Ofcom lists BT, EE, Hyperoptic, Plusnet, Sky including NOW Broadband, TalkTalk, Utility Warehouse, Virgin Media, Vodafone and Zen Internet as scheme signatories.
Can delayed activation compensation be capped?
A provider can serve a cease notice after 30 days of automatic compensation payments, with payments potentially stopping after a further 30 days. Compensation can continue if the provider cannot provide a suitable alternative service.
When should delayed activation compensation be paid?
Compensation should normally be paid no later than 30 calendar days after the delayed start is resolved or the service is cancelled.
What can I do if delayed activation compensation is not paid?
Raise a formal complaint with the provider and keep the promised and actual activation dates. An unresolved complaint can go to the provider’s approved ADR scheme after six weeks, or sooner with a deadlock letter.