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Millions of Virgin Media subscribers are set to see their monthly bills increase from April. Full-fibre broadband and TV users could face increases of up to £4 per month — that's an extra £48 a year for the same service.
The price hike kicks-in from April, 1, 2026, but this is no joke. It doesn't matter whether you're still locked into the minimum term of your Virgin Media or not – almost everyone who relies on Virgin Media services will be affected.
This increase has been implemented to offset rising operational costs, support heavy investments in network infrastructure upgrades, and manage growing data usage.
A Virgin Media spokesperson said: “Against a backdrop of ever-growing demand for broadband connectivity, with usage on our network up by 8% last year, price increases will be coming into effect for most customers from April."
However, how much extra you'll pay depends on when you signed up with Virgin Media. Newer customers will see a fixed pound-and-pence rise, while those on older deals face an inflation-linked increase.
The Virgin Media spokesperson said: “A customer’s exact increase will depend on the date they joined, but on average bills will rise by around 13p a day. This continues to represent excellent value for connectivity that our customers are using more than ever, and is greatly outweighed by the £5m we invest every single day into our networks and services to ensure we continue to provide the fast, reliable connectivity our customers expect and rely on.”
GBN Tech has broken out the exact amount that you'll be expected to pay below.
Virgin Media's price rise has been implemented to offset rising operational costs, support heavy investments in network infrastructure upgrades, and manage growing data usage
| VIRGIN MEDIA O2 PRESS OFFICEIt's worth checking which category you fall into, because the difference could be significant for your monthly budget. For instance, if you started your Virgin Media contract on or after January 9, 2025, you'll be hit with a flat £3.50 monthly increase come April.
On the other hand, if you signed up from October 2, 2025 onwards, your rise is slightly steeper at £4 per month. If you joined Virgin before January 2025, you're on the older inflation-linked system instead. This year, that means a 7.7% bump on your current bill.
The inflation rise works out at roughly £2 extra for cheaper packages, climbing to around £4 for pricier bundles that include TV. This means that newer customers on lower-cost plans could actually get hit harder proportionally. For instance, a £4 increase on a £25 monthly bill works out at 16%, which is more than double what longer-standing customers would pay.
Not everyone will face these increases, though. You're protected if you're on Virgin Media's Essential social tariff, which is available to people claiming benefits like Universal Credit.
Talk Protected landline customers also dodge the rise, along with anyone Virgin Media has identified as vulnerable, which could consist of elderly or disabled individuals.
Virgin Media began placing its new customers on this fixed increase starting January 9, 2025
| VIRGIN MEDIA O2 PRESS OFFICEVirgin Media isn't the only provider to shake up costs recently. Sky just announced the increased rates that TV and broadband subscribers will be expected to pay, while BT and EE both took part in a price rise.
Although several big providers began placing their new customers on this fixed increase in 2024. This means if you've started a new contract at that time, then you may also be included in the price hike. Here's when several providers began introducing this:
- Vodafone: Contract started on or after July 2, 2024
- TalkTalk: Contract started on or after August 12, 2024
- Three Broadband: Contract started on or after September 1, 2024
- Virgin Media: Contract started on or after January 9, 2025
Most of these providers have implemented fixed rate increases of £3 per month.
The following exceptions include:
- Virgin Media O2: £4 per month
- Plusnet: £4 per month
- BT: £4 per month
- EE: £4 per month
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So what can you do if you're not happy about these price rises?
One option is to try negotiating with your current provider. However, this could prove to be trickier once the increases are baked into the terms and conditions.
You can also always switch providers, which has become much simpler these days. In fact, between September 2024 and September 2025, around 1.62 million fixed broadband and phone customers voted with their feet and switched.
Uswitch broadband and mobiles expert Ernest Doku, said, "If you're one of the estimated eight million Virgin Media O2 customers who are out of contract or coming to the end of your existing mobile or broadband deal, you don't need to put up with price rises," he said.
"Out-of-contract households are currently overpaying by an average of £329 a year, so if you're happy with your service, it's worth calling your provider to haggle for a better rate. While switching remains the most effective way to cut costs, a quick conversation with the retention team could still help you offset the April sting."
Switch to Sky's Full Fibre 500 at its "lowest ever price"
If you want to enjoy the biggest savings on your monthly broadband bills, look no further than Sky Broadband's Full-Fibre 150 package. That's quite a bit slower than the 285Mbps average household broadband speed recorded nationwide by Ofcom, but given that you only need 5Mbps to stream your favourite Netflix show in 1080p HD... it should be plenty for quieter homes. Available in around 60% of UK homes, this speedy Sky package includes a minimum download speed. If missed, you can leave your broadband contract early with no early termination charges
Sky Full-Fibre 150
$24
Vodafone will pay for your broadband leaving fees when you switch
Vodafone will pay you up to £200 when you switch your broadband contract over from another provider. Best for households holding 2-4 people, you'll get award-winning full fibre broadband speeds starting from £22 per month, with an expected increase in April 2026.
Vodafone Full Fibre 150
$22
For broadband and landline, Ofcom has enforced One Touch Switching, which simplifies switching landline and broadband providers, allowing customers the ability to contact their new provider only.
The new provider then manages the entire process, including cancelling with the old provider and coordinating the switch, eliminating the need for customers to speak to both companies and preventing gaps in service or paying for overlapping services.
On the other hand, mobile customers can use Text-to-Switch to move to a new provider quickly.
This is a free UK process, which is also regulated by Ofcom, to change mobile providers while keeping your number, by texting PAC to 65075 to get a Porting Authorisation Code (PAC) from your old network, which you give to your new provider to handle the switch, or text STAC to 75075 to get a code to switch to a new number.
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