Insight VPNs are not being banned in the UK: what is actually changing in 2026
VPNs are not being banned in the UK, and the government confirmed this in writing in July 2026. The real changes are stricter age checks on websites and apps, and a planned social media ban for under-16s.
By Vidyadhar. Published . 5 minute read.
The short version
The UK government said on 15 July 2026 that it will not ban VPNs or put age checks on them.
What has changed is that services covered by the Online Safety Act must use highly effective age checks, and platforms will be expected to detect children who use VPNs to get around them.
The under-16 social media ban is still a plan, with the first regulations due before the end of 2026 and the ban expected in spring 2027.
VPNs are not being banned in the UK. In July 2026 the government said in writing that it will not ban VPNs or put age checks on them. What is changing is the pressure on websites and apps to stop children using a VPN, or any other trick, to get past age checks.
Are VPNs being banned in the UK? No
On 15 July 2026, Technology Secretary Liz Kendall told Parliament in a written statement: "VPNs have legitimate privacy and security uses and we will therefore not age-gate or ban them." The government's consultation response that month repeats it: "We will not ban or age-gate VPNs."
The law backs this up. The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, which became law on 29 April 2026, gives ministers a power to make regulations that stop or limit children's use of chosen online services and features. The Act does not mention VPNs by name.
What has already changed: age checks since July 2025
The first real change came on 25 July 2025, when the Online Safety Act's child safety duties came into force. Services covered by those duties must use "highly effective" age checks, such as facial age estimation or an ID check, to keep children away from the most harmful content. A tick box or a typed date of birth no longer counts.
Ofcom says more than 69 million age checks were completed between July and December 2025 across a sample of 32 services. VPN use rose at the same time. Ofcom estimates about 2.2 million daily UK users of VPN apps, up from 1.2 million before 25 July 2025, but says this data cannot show how much of the rise comes from children. An earlier Ofcom estimate from a different data supplier was lower, so the estimates differ.
What is coming: an under-16 social media ban
On 15 June 2026 the government announced that social media companies will no longer be allowed to offer their services to under-16s. This is a plan, not yet a rule in force. The government intends to lay the first regulations before Parliament by the end of 2026 and expects the ban to take effect in spring 2027. It also plans default settings for 16- and 17-year-olds, including a midnight to 6am curfew.
Where VPNs fit in
Instead of restricting VPNs, the government is putting the duty on platforms. Services covered by the new rules will have to take strong steps to detect and prevent under-age users getting around their age checks. Kendall has asked Ofcom, with input from the Information Commissioner's Office where needed, to research what more services can do to detect and prevent VPN use. The government will also talk to VPN providers about voluntary action and write new guidance for parents.
Some reports say Ofcom must publish VPN guidance by the end of October 2026. That is not what the statement says. The October deadline is for a separate Ofcom assessment of what highly effective age checks look like for telling whether someone is over 16. The statement gives no date for the VPN research.
The evidence on children is mixed, and the surveys use different methods. In a government survey of 2,299 children aged 11 to 17 in May 2026, 26% said they had ever used a VPN and 7% of all children said they used one to reach age-restricted sites, apps or games. The most common reason given was keeping their activity private (30%). Ofcom's own March 2026 study found a quarter of children had used a VPN in the previous six months, and 5% said they had used one to reach content or features meant for older users.
The fair objection: the door is still open
Critics point out that the government has not ruled anything out for good, and they are right. It says it will keep the area "under close review" and is prepared to act if circumvention "is not being tackled adequately". It plans an update within a year of the under-16 rules coming into force.
That is a real caveat, but it describes a review, not a plan. The government's own reasons for saying no still stand: age checks for every VPN user would affect the privacy of millions of adults, add security risks and could push children towards riskier VPN apps.
How this compares with the US and India
In the US, age checks are set state by state. On 27 June 2025 the Supreme Court upheld a Texas law that makes sites with sexually explicit material verify that visitors are 18 or older. That case was about websites, not VPNs.
India has taken a different route. Since 2022, rules from its national cyber security agency have required VPN providers to keep customer details, such as names, addresses and IP addresses, for five years or longer. NordVPN has had no physical servers in India since June 2022, and Proton VPN's India addresses come from servers in Singapore.
What to do now
If you are an adult VPN user: nothing changes. Using a VPN for privacy, public Wi-Fi or travel remains allowed.
Expect more age checks: sites and apps covered by the rules may ask you to prove your age, and some may become stricter with VPN connections.
Be careful with free VPN apps: pick a provider whose no-logs policy has been checked by an outside auditor. NordVPN's has been audited six times and Proton VPN's five years running, and Proton offers a free plan with no data limit.
If you are a parent: check which apps are on your child's devices and talk about why age checks exist. The government has promised practical guidance on VPNs at home.
Watch two dates: Ofcom's over-16 age check assessment, due by the end of October 2026, and the first under-16 regulations, due before the end of 2026.
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Where these numbers come from
Figures on age checks and VPN use come from Ofcom's July 2026 report on the use of age assurance and a July 2026 government-commissioned survey of 2,299 UK children aged 11 to 17. The two use different methods, so their results are not directly comparable.
Questions people ask
Are VPNs illegal in the UK?
No. The government said on 15 July 2026 that VPNs have legitimate privacy and security uses and that it will not ban them or put age checks on them. Adults can keep using a VPN as before.
Will the UK ban VPNs for under-16s?
Not under current plans. The government chose not to age-gate VPNs and instead expects platforms covered by the under-16 rules to detect and prevent children getting around their age checks. It says it will keep this under close review and may act if circumvention is not tackled.
When does the UK under-16 social media ban start?
It is not in force yet. The government intends to lay the first regulations before Parliament by the end of 2026 and expects the ban to take effect in spring 2027.
Do I need to verify my age to use a VPN in the UK?
No. The government has ruled out age checks for VPNs. You may still be asked to prove your age by websites and apps covered by the Online Safety Act, whether or not you use a VPN.
Can websites block VPN users in the UK?
The government wants platforms covered by the under-16 rules to detect and prevent under-age users getting around age checks, including with VPNs. It has asked Ofcom to research what more services can do to detect and prevent VPN use, so some services may become stricter with VPN connections.