Mobile data in the UK after Brexit: what visitors from Europe need to know
Since the UK left the EU, the EU roaming rules no longer protect you there. Some European operators still include the UK in their Europe zone and others charge for it, and those conditions have changed several times since 2021.
At a glance
- Does an eSIM work in the United Kingdom?
- Yes. It connects to EE, 3 (5G).
- Price
- From 4,49 € (3 GB, 15 days).
- For a one-week trip
- 5 GB for 30 days: 6,79 €.
- Does an EU phone plan work there?
- No: The United Kingdom is outside EU roaming, so even a plan from an EU country charges it as abroad.
- When does the plan start?
- When your phone first connects to a network in the United Kingdom. The QR code arrives by email within minutes.
Is roaming free in the UK?
Not by law. The EU roaming regulation covers the EU and the EEA, and since 2021 the UK has been in neither, so what you pay is set by your operator alone. The roaming map shows where the European rule stops: the UK, Gibraltar, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are all outside it.
On your operator's roaming page, look for three things: whether the United Kingdom sits in the same zone as the EU, whether a daily fee or a separate data allowance applies there, and until when. Several operators have included the UK only for a limited period, so check against your travel dates, not against what applied on your last trip.
eSIM for United Kingdom
Data on your phone the moment you land in United Kingdom. No account, no app, no shop.
Choose your data
For one to two weeks of maps, messaging and the odd video.
Nothing is charged now · When we are done improving, we will email you 30% off
Will it work on my phone?
On iPhone: Settings → General → About, and scroll to EID. If there is an EID, your phone takes eSIMs. Every iPhone from the XS (2018) onwards does.
On Android: Settings → About phone → Status, and look for EID. If there is an EID, your phone takes eSIMs. Most Galaxy S20, Pixel 3 and later do.
It also has to be carrier-unlocked. If you bought it outright or your contract is over, it almost certainly is.
Not sure about your model? Ask us before you pay and we will tell you — a person answers within 24 hours.
How it works
- 1Choose and payCard, Apple Pay or Google Pay. No account.
- 2Install it at homeThe QR arrives by email. Scan it on wifi in a minute.
- 3Connect when you landTurn on data roaming for the eSIM and you are online.
Three ways to have data in the UK
| Your plan in roaming | UK SIM card | Data eSIM (e.g. Snoozim) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Depends on your operator; can be free or expensive | Cheap, bought in a UK shop | Fixed price, paid in advance |
| Set-up | Nothing to do | Find a shop, swap the SIM | Install a QR before you fly |
| Your number | Kept | Replaced while the SIM is in | Kept for calls and SMS |
| Risk | Surprise bill if the UK is not included | Needs a free SIM slot or an unlocked phone | Needs an eSIM-compatible, unlocked phone |
Networks and coverage
Snoozim eSIMs for the UK use EE (5G), 3 (4G). Coverage is strong in London and other cities and along motorways and main rail lines; it is patchier in the Scottish Highlands, Snowdonia and rural Wales, so download offline maps for those areas.
Before you go: a short checklist
- Check your operator's terms for the UK on your travel dates, and separately for Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man if they are on your route.
- Since April 2025 most European visitors need an Electronic Travel Authorisation, the ETA, to enter the UK; you apply on the official GOV.UK site.
- Hiking in the Highlands, Snowdonia or the Lake District: download offline maps and carry a paper one. In an emergency, dial 999 or 112, ask for the police and then for Mountain Rescue.
- UK sockets are type G: bring an adapter for your charger.
Northern Ireland and the border with Ireland
The border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland is open, with no checks, and mobile signal crosses it as easily as people do. Near the border your phone can connect to an Irish network while you are still in Northern Ireland, and the other way round; it happens on all networks on both sides.
That changes the bill. Ireland is in the EU, so an EU plan roams there at home prices, while Northern Ireland is part of the UK and follows your operator's UK terms. A UK data eSIM works the other way: on British networks, not on Irish ones. If you drive along the border or take the Enterprise train between Belfast and Dublin, select the network by hand in your phone settings, or switch the data line when you cross. For the Irish side, see the Ireland guide.
Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man are not the UK
The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are Crown Dependencies: British, but not part of the United Kingdom, and not in the EU either. They have their own mobile networks, so for roaming they count as separate destinations. A plan that includes the UK does not automatically include them, and some British operators charge their own customers roaming there.
The UK eSIM is sold for the United Kingdom, so do not count on it on the islands. Each one has its own: Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. Gibraltar, on the Spanish border, is a similar case: Gibraltar guide.
Prices for the UK
Data eSIMs for the United Kingdom: 3 GB for 4,49 €, 5 GB for 6,79 €, 10 GB for 11,79 € and 20 GB for 17,29 €. The plan starts when your phone first connects in the UK, not when you buy it. If you continue to the continent, a Europe eSIM covers the UK too.
Travelling later?
Going to United Kingdom later? We remind you before you fly
Tell us the day you leave. We email you a week before and the day before with the steps to install the eSIM on Wi-Fi at home. Nothing else.
We only write about this trip, and every email has a one-click unsubscribe. Privacy policy
Do EU phone plans roam for free in the UK?
Not automatically. After Brexit the EU roaming rules do not apply to the UK, so it depends on your operator and plan. Check your operator's roaming zones before travelling.
Does the UK eSIM work in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?
Yes. For the eSIM the United Kingdom is one country, so it works the same in all four nations. It is not meant for the Republic of Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man.
Does the eSIM give me a UK phone number?
No, it is data only. Your own line keeps working for calls and SMS if you leave it on, and apps like WhatsApp keep your usual number.
What is the emergency number in the UK?
999 or 112: both are free and reach the same services. The eSIM is data only, so make the call from your usual SIM; in the mountains, ask for the police and then for Mountain Rescue.
Get your eSIM before you fly: the QR arrives by email in minutes and the plan only starts when you connect at your destination.
See eSIMs for the UK