Virgin Media Broadband Essential

Dan Howdle • November 24th, 2025

Virgin Media offers a low-cost broadband option designed to support people in low-income households who receive certain government benefits. With simple 30-day rolling contracts and fibre speeds of either 15Mbps or 54Mbps, Virgin Media’s social tariff packages (named 'Essential') aim to provide reliable, if not all that speedy, broadband at a very low monthly cost.

Essential Broadband is available to those receiving benefits such as Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Income Support or income-based JSA/ESA. Starting from £12.50 per month, it includes broadband, free setup, and the freedom to cancel anytime with no exit fees, unlike a regular contracted deal.

Key features

Here's a quick summary of what you can expect from Virgin Media’s social tariff broadband packages.

Who is Virgin Media Essential Broadband for?

Virgin Media’s Essential Broadband packages are designed for people on lower incomes who might otherwise find it difficult to afford a regular broadband service. They offer simple, low-cost fibre on a rolling 30-day term, with no exit fees and no long contracts to worry about. To qualify, you’ll need to be receiving at least one of the following government benefits:

• Universal Credit
• Pension Credit
• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
• Income-based Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

How to apply for Virgin Media Essential Broadband

To sign up, you’ll need to visit Virgin Media’s Essential Broadband page rather than the standard broadband section. Enter your postcode to confirm availability, choose the Essential package you want, and Virgin Media will ask you to verify/prove your eligibility during the sign-up process.

Virgin Media offers two Essential Broadband options: the £12.50 per month Essential Broadband package with 15Mbps download speeds, and Essential Broadband Plus at £20 per month with faster 54Mbps speeds. Both run on a 30-day rolling contract with no exit fees, and setup is free for both Essential and Essential Plus.

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What’s included with Virgin Media Essential Broadband

Here’s what you can expect from Virgin Media’s Essential Broadband packages:

• Reliable Wi-Fi – You’ll receive Virgin Media’s Hub 5, offering dual-band wireless and several Ethernet ports for any devices that need a wired connection
• Unlimited data – Both Essential and Essential Broadband Plus include completely unlimited broadband with no usage caps as you may have had on social tariffs a few years back
• No long contract – All of Virgin's social tariffs run on a 30-day rolling contract so you will never find yourself needing to leave and having to stump up exit fees you can't afford
• Free setup – Essential Broadband and Essential Broadband Plus come with no installation or activation charges whatsoever

Virgin Media Hub 5 router specification

• Next-generation Wi-Fi – The Hub 5 supports Wi-Fi 6, offering faster speeds, better efficiency and improved performance when lots of devices are connected
• Dual-band wireless – It broadcasts on both 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies, helping ensure strong coverage throughout the home
• High-performance antenna design – The internal antenna layout is optimised to improve stability and reduce interference
• Gigabit Ethernet ports – The Hub 5 includes multiple Gigabit Ethernet ports for fast, reliable wired connections
• Virgin Media’s Intelligent Wi-Fi features – The Hub 5 works with Virgin Media’s Intelligent Wi-Fi technology to help maintain steady speeds and manage congestion across your home network

Extras

Virgin Media Essential Broadband is intentionally simple, keeping costs low by focusing on the core service rather than bundling in additional extras. You’ll still get the same Hub 5 router supplied with Virgin’s regular broadband packages, along with unlimited usage and a 30-day rolling contract.

There are no added services such as premium security tools or cloud storage, which helps keep the monthly price down. But if you qualify for it, you'll have everything you need to get online and do the things you need to do.

What we think

Of the many social tariffs out there, Virgin Media Essential Broadband is a good choice if you're somewhere Virgin's available, or better yet already have a Virgin line coming into your home. For £12.50 or £20 per month, you can get reliable broadband on a flexible rolling contract with no exit fees and free setup. It’s terrific value for anyone who’s on benefits and who's struggling to make ends meet, but can't do without a broadband connection.

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