Further funding to boost Derbyshire's rural connectivity

Further help is available from Derbyshire County Council and the UK Government for some of the most rural parts of the county in accessing high speed broadband.

Residents and businesses can apply for up to £7,500 to cover the installation costs - providing they are not already in either a government-funded plan for a broadband upgrade or any commercial plan. 

The UK Government’s Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme is relaunching in parts of Derbyshire as of 12th November 2024. Eligible homes and businesses can apply for up to £4,500 to cover the costs of a gigabit-capable connection, which enables broadband providers to reach further into rural areas where the build costs are higher. 

Derbyshire County Council will be ‘topping up’ the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme amounts by a maximum of £3,000 each. The extra funding will increase the amount of financial support that eligible households and businesses with broadband speeds of less than 100Mbps in rural parts of Derbyshire are entitled to and will help pay for the cost of installing faster and more reliable connections to their premises. 

Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Environment Councillor Carolyn Renwick said: “We are committed to improving broadband access, speed and reliability for homes and businesses across the county and particularly in rural areas.

“Residents and businesses are relying on the internet more than ever before and we’re continuing to play a key role in helping to deliver next-generation broadband to make sure local people can continue to operate and engage in an ever-changing digital world.

“A number of Derbyshire communities have already benefitted from the voucher scheme and this new ‘Top-Up’ funding means more homes and businesses in the hardest to reach locations of Derbyshire can take advantage of the scheme.”

To apply for the scheme residents and businesses can visit the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme website to find a list of suppliers in their local area. 

Once they have contacted a supplier, the supplier will apply for the relevant level of funding required to help pay for an upgraded service.