How Much of the UK Has Gigabit Internet?
SEPTEMBER 2026 • GIGABIT COVERAGE • FULL FIBRE • REGIONAL GAP
91.26% of UK premises can access gigabit-capable broadband.
Thinkbroadband’s national availability analysis dated 7 Sept 2026 counts 30,614,657 premises with gigabit access out of 33,547,339 premises in its dataset. Full-fibre availability stands at 85.63%.
That leaves roughly 2.93 million premises outside gigabit coverage in this dataset. Coverage means a qualifying service can be ordered; it does not mean 91.26% of households subscribe to a gigabit package.
Where gigabit coverage is highest — and lowest
The latest regional picture is uneven. Northern Ireland remains furthest ahead at 97.43%, while South West England is lowest at 85.50%. Wales is now just below the 90% mark at 89.97%.
| Nation or region | Gigabit | Change since 7 Aug | Full fibre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Ireland | 97.43% | +0.04 pts | 97.16% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 95.30% | +0.04 pts | 93.28% |
| North West England | 94.80% | +0.06 pts | 92.18% |
| North East England | 94.04% | +0.13 pts | 85.72% |
| West Midlands | 93.05% | +0.09 pts | 86.75% |
| London | 92.78% | +0.07 pts | 82.21% |
| East Midlands | 92.46% | +0.12 pts | 88.86% |
| England | 91.58% | +0.11 pts | 85.72% |
| United Kingdom | 91.26% | +0.14 pts | 85.63% |
| Wales | 89.97% | +0.42 pts | 88.21% |
| East of England | 89.56% | +0.11 pts | 82.59% |
| South East England | 88.62% | +0.16 pts | 81.73% |
| Scotland | 86.96% | +0.18 pts | 79.68% |
| South West England | 85.50% | +0.23 pts | 80.92% |
All figures above are from thinkbroadband’s 7 Sept 2026 analysis. Small month-to-month movements can reflect changes to premises databases and orderability as well as fresh network construction.
The remaining 2.93 million-premises gap
Approximately 2,932,682 premises in thinkbroadband’s September dataset are not yet counted as gigabit-capable.
The remaining gap is increasingly concentrated in locations where build costs, geography, access or low premises density make commercial rollout more difficult.
Very slow lines have not disappeared
Thinkbroadband still estimates 188,744 premises below 10Mbps, including 63,227 below 2Mbps. Those figures are smaller than the gigabit gap because a property can have a perfectly usable non-gigabit connection while still lacking gigabit service.
Gigabit coverage is not the same thing as full fibre. Some gigabit services are delivered over upgraded cable networks, so the UK’s 91.26% gigabit figure is higher than its 85.63% FTTP/full-fibre figure. Our guide to fibre, full fibre and part fibre explains the distinction.
Coverage, full fibre and take-up are three different measures
Gigabit coverage
A premises is counted when a gigabit-capable service can be ordered. This can include FTTP and gigabit-capable cable networks.
Full-fibre coverage
This measures fibre-to-the-premises availability, where fibre reaches the property rather than stopping at a street cabinet or relying on coaxial cable for the final section.
Take-up
This is the share of covered premises that actually buy the service. A street can be fully covered even if relatively few residents have upgraded.
Why Ofcom reports a lower number
Ofcom’s Spring 2026 Connected Nations update reported gigabit availability at 89% of UK homes. That is an official snapshot based on provider data from January 2026, while the 91.26% figure on this page is thinkbroadband analysis dated 7 Sept 2026.
The two figures therefore should not be read as competing measurements taken on the same day. They use different dates, premises bases and methodologies. Ofcom’s forward-looking 2026 deployment report said gigabit coverage could reach 95% of UK homes by January 2029 if all reported operator plans are realised.
How much progress has been made since June?
Thinkbroadband figures dated 7 June 2026 put gigabit availability at 90.79% and full fibre at 84.58%. By 7 Sept, those measures had reached 91.26% and 85.63% respectively.
In raw counts, thinkbroadband’s gigabit-capable premises total has risen from 30,333,231 to 30,614,657 across those snapshots. The total premises base also changes over time, so raw counts and percentage-point movement should be considered together.
What happens next?
The government’s long-term target remains at least 99% gigabit-capable coverage by 2032. Project Gigabit is intended to subsidise deployment in places that suppliers are unlikely to reach through commercial investment alone.
The final percentage points are likely to be harder than the first 90%. Ofcom’s 2026 deployment analysis found a continuing urban-rural divide: using January 2026 data, gigabit coverage was 93% in urban areas but 66% in rural areas, with operators’ plans potentially taking those figures to 97% and 86% respectively by January 2029.
One support route has also changed since the previous update. The Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme closed to new voucher-project submissions on 31 Aug 2026. Existing approved projects continue, with the scheme’s planned closure set for 31 Mar 2028.
For the bigger rollout picture, see our guide to the future of broadband in the UK.
The bottom line
Gigabit broadband now reaches a little over nine in ten UK premises, but the remaining gap is increasingly concentrated in harder-to-connect areas. Full fibre is still several percentage points behind gigabit coverage, and availability should not be confused with customer take-up.
UK gigabit broadband FAQs
How much of the UK has gigabit broadband?
Thinkbroadband’s figures dated 7 September 2026 put UK gigabit-capable broadband availability at 91.26% of premises, or 30,614,657 premises in its dataset.
Does 91.26% coverage mean 91.26% of people use gigabit broadband?
No. Coverage measures whether a gigabit-capable service can be ordered at a premises. It does not measure how many households or businesses have subscribed to a gigabit package.
Which UK nation or region has the highest gigabit coverage?
Northern Ireland leads the September 2026 thinkbroadband table at 97.43% gigabit coverage. Yorkshire and the Humber follows at 95.30%, with the North West at 94.80%.
Which part of the UK has the lowest gigabit coverage?
South West England has the lowest figure in the September 2026 regional table at 85.50%, followed by Scotland at 86.96% and South East England at 88.62%.
Why is Ofcom’s gigabit coverage figure different?
Ofcom’s Spring 2026 update reported 89% gigabit availability using provider data from January 2026. Thinkbroadband’s 91.26% figure is dated 7 September 2026 and uses a different dataset and methodology, so the figures are not directly comparable.
When will the UK reach 99% gigabit coverage?
The UK government expects at least 99% of premises to have access to gigabit-capable broadband by 2032. Project Gigabit is focused on locations that commercial rollouts are unlikely to reach on their own.
Sources
- thinkbroadband: August 2026 availability update — UK and regional figures dated 7 Sept 2026.
- Ofcom: Connected Nations Spring 2026 — official January 2026 coverage snapshot.
- Ofcom: Planned Network Deployments 2026 — operator build plans through 2028.
- UK Government: Project Gigabit — confirms the 99% by 2032 expectation.
- UK Government: Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme — current scheme status and closure dates.