UK SIM Card and Phone Number Guide 2026: eSIM, Keeping a Number

From 29 October 2026, the UK offences of possessing and supplying SIM farms came into force. Anyone travelling to the UK to visit, study or work will naturally ask whether buying a UK SIM card has become harder. This guide explains how visitors and longer-term residents get a UK phone number, for readers coming from Hong Kong, Taiwan, mainland China, Singapore or Malaysia.

The short answer: a SIM farm is a device that can use at least five physical SIM cards to make calls or send and receive messages. The new offence does not mean UK visitor SIMs now require full ID registration, and it is not a limit of five cards per person. For a short trip where you only need data, a data-only eSIM or roaming on your home number is enough. To receive UK text messages or tie a number to an account, choose a prepaid plan with a UK number. If you plan to stay, consider a monthly plan later, and expect credit checks and requirements for a UK bank account and address.

This guide answers:

• What do the prepaid plans from six UK providers cost, and do they come with a UK number?
• What documents do foreigners need to get a number, and why might a longer-term resident be unable to get a monthly contract?
• Which bank, government and app verification codes will not arrive, and what is different about a data-only eSIM?
• How do you keep a number after leaving the UK, and does receiving only verification codes count as use?

Key Points

• Who this is for: Visitors, students and workers in the UK from Hong Kong, Taiwan, mainland China, Singapore or Malaysia, and overseas owners and tenants of UK property who need a UK number to receive verification codes.
• What the new offence targets: The SIM farm offences concern possessing or supplying such devices without a legitimate reason or lawful authority. That is a different matter from buying a single personal SIM.
• An eSIM is not the same as a UK number: Vodafone Travel and EE Travel Data are data-only products with no UK number to receive texts.
• Prices: When checked, UK local prepaid plans start at Lebara’s £5, and EE, O2, Three, giffgaff and Vodafone all have £10 plans, with different data and conditions.
• Vodafone’s residency condition: The PAYG Plus terms (version checked: May 2024) require a UK resident with a UK billing address, while the sales page says “open to all” and does not mention residency. Both are stated here, and “no credit check” does not mean a short-stay visitor qualifies.
• Keeping a number: Rules differ. EE, Vodafone and Three count 180 days, and Lebara removes your balance after 90 days of non-use. Vodafone states that receiving texts does not count as activity that keeps a number.
• Before you leave: O2 requires you to be in the UK when you request a PAC, so anyone who wants to port a number should not wait until after leaving.

What the SIM Farm Rules Mean for Ordinary Buyers

An ordinary person buying one card for personal use is not what this new offence deals with. Home Office guidance defines a SIM farm as a device capable of using five or more physical SIM cards simultaneously or interchangeably to make calls or to send or receive messages. Possessing one without a legitimate reason or lawful authority can be an offence, and conviction can lead to a fine. The Home Office also says the offences are not intended to stop legitimate commercial or public-interest activity, such as broadcasting.

Three points that are easy to misread:

• It is not “a maximum of five SIMs per person.” The “five” describes what a device can do, not how many cards an individual holds. Several personal SIMs or eSIM profiles on a phone are a different matter from a SIM farm.
• It is not full ID registration for visitors. The new rules do not require visitors to register their identity to buy a card. The industry body GSMA’s policy handbook lists the UK as a country that does not mandate prepaid SIM user registration, but that document is not an official statement by a UK authority about the 2026 regime.
• It is not “no information at all.” A provider’s “no credit check” only means no credit check. Whether it verifies ID, address or residency depends on that provider’s and plan’s terms.

Do not infer that a person can hold unlimited cards. For example, giffgaff allows only one active SIM per account at a time and a second SIM needs a separate account. That is the provider’s account rule, not a UK per-person limit.

Which Situation Are You In?

Your route depends on how long you stay and whether you need a UK number.

UK Plan Comparison

Six UK local prepaid plans give you a UK number, and the Vodafone Travel data-only eSIM does not.

The details below are from the official websites when checked on 30 October 2026. Prices and contents change, so go by the checkout page before ordering.

Four things to note when reading the table:

• “Days” and “calendar months” differ. EE, Vodafone and Lebara count 30 days, while Three’s Data Pack counts 1 calendar month.
• Separate promotions from base terms. Vodafone’s 27GB applies only for the first 3 months and requires continuous payment on the registered card. Three also has network-specific plans with different contents, so do not mix up data allowances and speeds.
• Lebara’s eSIM coverage is limited. Its website says initial support is for new customers with an Apple iPhone Air, so check other models with Lebara first.
• EE’s eSIM: Check with EE before buying whether ordinary prepaid plans with voice are available as eSIM. The EE Travel Data eSIM provides mobile data only, with no voice or text.

What Visitors Should Do: Before You Leave and After You Arrive

If you only need internet, buy a data-only eSIM before you leave or switch on roaming on your home number. This route does not give you a UK number, so services that verify with a UK text will still not reach you.

If you want a UK number, first confirm you meet the plan’s conditions:

• Can your phone install it? A phone that supports eSIM may not be able to install every UK provider’s eSIM. The same phone name sold in different regions can be different versions, so check the provider’s device list before ordering.
• Vodafone PAYG Plus is not suited to direct use as a visitor plan. The terms found (May 2024 version) state that users must be UK residents with a UK billing address, the first plan starts at payment, and the SIM must be activated in the UK. PAYG 1 also has residency and address conditions and is limited to existing Big Value Bundle customers.
• Three online orders and stores differ. Stores can provide a free SIM, but the website’s prepaid page says something different for ordering a card online, so do not assume you can order a free SIM online by itself. Setup details are sent by email.
• A new giffgaff eSIM must be activated in the app with a plan purchased; it cannot be activated by top-up credit alone.

What documents are needed? Zagdim recommends not assuming a passport alone is enough, because there is no single list that applies to all foreign visitors across providers. Before buying, confirm with the provider:

• Whether your passport is accepted, and whether a visa or residence document is also required.
• Whether a UK address or UK billing address is required.
• Whether a credit card issued overseas can pay, and whether it can be activated outside the UK.

Vodafone’s fraud verification process accepts a valid government photo ID issued outside the UK and asks for a relevant bank statement from the last 90 days. That is the process when you are asked for extra documents, not a standard application list for all SIMs.

What Longer-Term Residents Should Do: Prepaid, Monthly Plans and Payment Tools

Zagdim recommends that people who have just arrived get a number on a prepaid plan first and consider a monthly contract later. O2, Lebara and other prepaid plans are marked as no credit check, whereas monthly contracts bring credit checks, a UK bank account and an address.

Three’s “3 years” is not a legal residence period. It is only one factor the company lists in its checks. Zagdim recommends not treating a monthly plan as your first step on arrival if you have no UK credit history or bank account.

Can you move from prepaid to a monthly plan? You can apply, but approval is not automatic.

• EE: When upgrading from prepaid to monthly, any remaining balance can move to the new monthly account, and the monthly application must still meet the screening conditions.
• O2: There is a process for moving from prepaid to monthly, with number retention and balance transfer handled through it, and a credit check is required.
• Vodafone Travel and other data-only products: These never had a UK number, so keeping the same number to move to a monthly plan does not apply.
• Other providers: To keep the same number when changing plan, ask about the process first.

Zagdim recommends this plan for someone moving to the UK for work without a UK bank account: choose a prepaid plan whose conditions you meet to get a number, and once you have a bank account and address, apply to the same provider for a monthly plan, or use a PAC to bring the number to a new provider.

Receiving Verification Codes: What Arrives and What to Watch

The UK has no single numbering rule, so check each service you plan to use. A data-only eSIM has no number and cannot receive SMS verification codes. For example, Vodafone Travel’s UK eSIM explicitly does not include a UK phone number.

Being able to receive ordinary texts does not mean every kind of verification text will reach you. Uber’s troubleshooting page itself suggests checking with the carrier for short-code SMS. Whether a bank, government service or platform accepts a prepaid number depends on that organization’s current guidance.

Ofcom’s new rules on messaging scams are not yet in force. On 15 July 2026, Ofcom, the UK communications regulator, published new rules and guidance for combatting mobile messaging scams. The P2P (person-to-person messages) part takes effect on 18 January 2027 and the A2P (application-to-person messages) part on 15 July 2027. Neither stage is in force yet, and neither is a rule requiring ID registration for visitor SIMs. If the way verification codes are received changes later, go by the notices from your bank and platform.

Roaming on Your Home Number

Roaming keeps your original number, not a UK number. Verification texts from your home-country bank can continue to arrive on that number, but services such as GOV.UK One Login that do not send SMS to non-UK numbers will not reach you. The table below is a sample from official sources and does not cover every carrier in each place.

When comparing, do not look only at data. Roaming on your home number and a UK local SIM solve different problems: the former keeps your old number, the latter gives you a UK number, and the two can be combined as needed.

Keeping a Number, Expiry and What to Do Before You Leave

Ofcom notes that providers set different periods for treating a number as inactive, so one provider’s number of days cannot be applied to all SIMs. The table gives what each provider said when checked:

Some practical points:

• EE users should plan around 180 days. Do not treat the 90-day grace as a guarantee.
• Three users should go by 180 days. The website mentions a longer period elsewhere, and the two are inconsistent, so do not treat the longer one as protection.
• Do not count receiving verification codes as use. Vodafone states that it does not count, and the other providers must be read against the activities they list. Zagdim recommends topping up or buying a plan before the deadline, after confirming whether a card issued overseas can pay.
• Do not add Lebara’s two periods together as a guarantee. A Lebara community manager explains that the first stage is a temporary restriction that can be lifted by topping up or adding a plan. Whether you can get the number back after permanent termination must be confirmed with Lebara.
• Keeping a number does not mean you can keep using it abroad. Whether roaming is switched on and whether you can connect locally must be confirmed separately. giffgaff’s in-plan EU roaming, for instance, is aimed at people who usually live in the UK and travel occasionally.

Before you leave the UK, act according to your goal:

O2 requires you to be in the UK when you request a PAC, so do this before you board your flight.

If you are still within a contract term, work out the early termination fee first:

• EE: The discounted cost of the remaining minimum term is calculated daily, with VAT removed and then 4% deducted, and account balance and Add to Plan adjustments applied before VAT is added back.
• O2: SIM Only and Standard Plan fees are based on the discounted monthly fee for the remaining period, less 4%; O2 Refresh has separate rules for the device balance and the airtime charge.
• Vodafone: The remaining contract cost less any applicable discount, then less 2% for a lump-sum payment.
• giffgaff: 50% of the monthly fee of the current or most recent plan, multiplied by the number of full contract months remaining; confirm with giffgaff whether any waiver applies.
• Three, and Lebara’s 12-month plan: Ask the provider directly for the actual amount.

Checklist Before You Buy

Zagdim recommends asking these questions before you buy:

• Does this plan have a UK number? Can it send and receive SMS?
• I am not a UK resident; do I qualify? Do I need a UK address?
• Can my phone, in the version sold in my region, install this eSIM?
• Can a card issued overseas pay? Must the SIM be activated inside the UK?
• Does the plan start from the date of payment or the date of activation?
• What must I do, and how often, to keep the number? Do received texts count?
• Can I later keep the same number when moving to a monthly plan?

These four terms deserve a second look:

• No credit check: Does not mean no ID check, and does not mean no residency requirement.
• eSIM, Travel eSIM, Data only: May have no UK number.
• Extra data for the first few months: Read when the original allowance returns and whether auto-renewal is required.
• Unlimited: Look at speed, fair use and where it applies.

FAQ

Do I need to register my ID to buy a SIM card in the UK?

The SIM farm offences in force from 29 October 2026 do not require full ID registration for visitor SIMs. GSMA lists the UK as a country that does not mandate prepaid SIM registration, but that is not an official statement by the authorities, and a provider may still require residency or check documents under its terms.

Can only an eSIM receive UK text messages?

It depends on the product. The local-number eSIMs from O2, Vodafone PAYG Plus, Three and giffgaff have numbers. Data-only eSIMs such as Vodafone Travel and EE Travel Data do not, and cannot receive SMS.

Can a foreign visitor get Vodafone PAYG Plus?

Do not assume so. The May 2024 terms state that users must be UK residents with a UK billing address. The sales page says only “open to all” and no credit check, and does not mention residency, which does not mean a short-stay visitor qualifies.

Can I get a monthly plan without a UK bank account?

Not necessarily. Three requires a UK bank account in your own name or a joint account, and Vodafone also says that without a UK bank account and address you may fail the credit check, so a prepaid plan can bridge the gap.

Can a foreign number log in to GOV.UK One Login?

A foreign number cannot receive One Login’s SMS security code, so use an authenticator app or a UK mobile number. This rule applies directly only to One Login, and other government services must be checked separately.

Can I keep a UK number by only receiving bank verification codes?

Do not assume so. Vodafone states that receiving calls or texts does not count as activity that keeps a number, so Zagdim recommends topping up or buying a plan before the provider’s deadline.

Can I still port my number after leaving the UK?

It depends on the provider. O2 requires you to be in the UK when you request a PAC, and others must be checked first. For a service already cancelled, Ofcom says that in most cases you can move the number to a new provider within 1 month of cancelling.

Important Notice

This article is general information and is not legal or consumer advice. It draws on the websites of the UK Home Office, Ofcom, GOV.UK, GSMA, and mobile carriers, banks and platforms, with a reference date of 30 October 2026. Plan prices, eligibility conditions, number-retention and cancellation rules change; go by the latest announcements from each institution and provider.

Have a question about this guide? Leave a comment below, or ask Zagdim directly.

Sources

• UK Home Office – Crime and Policing Act 2026 Guidance: Offences relating to the possession and supply of SIM farms and legitimate uses of multiple SIM devices (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/possession-and-supply-of-sim-farms/crime-and-policing-act-2026-guidance-offences-relating-to-the-possession-and-supply-of-sim-farms-and-legitimate-uses-of-multiple-sim-devices-accessi)
• GSMA – Mobile Policy Handbook: Mandatory registration of prepaid SIMs (https://www.gsma.com/solutions-and-impact/connectivity-for-good/public-policy/mobile-policy-handbook/consumer-protection/mandatory-registration-of-prepaid-sims/)
• Ofcom – Combatting mobile messaging scams: New rules and guidance (https://www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/consultations/category-3-4-weeks/consultation-combatting-mobile-messaging-scams/main-document/statement-combatting-mobile-messaging-scams.pdf?v=423155)
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• Monzo – Frequently asked questions: Do I need to be a UK resident? (https://monzo.com/faq)
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• Deliveroo UK – Legal: Deliveroo Plus free trial terms (https://deliveroo.co.uk/legal)
• csl
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• China Mobile – International and Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan services: United Kingdom (https://www.10086.cn/roaming/country/index.html?country_id=9)
• Singtel – Overseas roaming plans: UnlimitedRoam Worldwide (https://www.singtel.com/personal/products-services/mobile/roaming/all-plans)
• Maxis – International Data Roaming Plans (https://www.maxis.com.my/en/mobile-plans/maxis-roaming/)