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<p>Since May 2019, eligible homes and businesses in rural areas that are part of a
group project have been able to benefit from the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme
funded by the Rural Gigabit Connectivity programme. Voucher funding is a grant to
individual residents and small businesses and is therefore committed when a voucher
is issued to a beneficiary, at which point their supplier has 12 months to provide
a connection. The Rural Gigabit Connectivity programme is due to close on March 31
2021, by which point all voucher requests must be received.</p><p>Due to the success
of the voucher scheme, and in line with the government’s ambition to provide access
to gigabit-capable broadband to the hardest-to-reach communities in rural areas across
the UK, a new gigabit broadband voucher is being developed as part of the UK Gigabit
programme. This will target the hardest to reach areas which are least likely to benefit
from commercial rollout. The government expects the new voucher to go live in April
2021 and, along with further details of the voucher, a new eligibility checker will
be published in order to help consumers identify if they are eligible for a voucher.
BDUK will also work with suppliers to help them transition existing projects, where
they are eligible, to the UK Gigabit programme so that communities do not miss out
on the opportunity for government funding to enable their access to gigabit capable
connections.</p>
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