Key takeaways
Ofcom has significant enforcement powers across all its regulatory areas -- telecoms, broadcasting, online safety and spectrum. Powers include fines, formal notifications, broadcast licence revocation, spectrum licence revocation and court applications for service restriction orders.
Under the Online Safety Act 2023, Ofcom can fine platforms up to 10% of global annual turnover, or 18 million pounds, whichever is higher. This is among the largest regulatory fine powers in UK law. For repeated or serious breaches, Ofcom can apply to court to block a platform's services in the UK.
For telecoms providers that breach Ofcom's General Conditions, Ofcom can issue provisional notifications, final notifications requiring compliance, and impose financial penalties. The scale is proportionate to the provider's UK turnover.
Ofcom exercised its online safety enforcement powers in 2026: a pornography website was fined 600,000 pounds in May 2026 for failing to implement age verification, and a second site was fined in June 2026. These are the first enforcement actions under Ofcom's online pornography age verification rules.
Ofcom does not investigate individual consumer complaints for most issues -- its role is systemic regulation. Individual disputes about telecoms bills or broadband speeds should be escalated to the Communications Ombudsman or CISAS after the provider's formal complaints process.
Reviewed: June 2026Key facts
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Ofcom's enforcement approach
Ofcom is a risk-based, evidence-led regulator. It does not investigate every complaint or breach individually but focuses enforcement resources on systemic failures, significant consumer harm, and cases where regulatory action will have the most impact. Ofcom's enforcement decisions are published and must be proportionate, transparent and consistent with its published guidelines.
Ofcom's enforcement powers differ by regulatory area -- telecoms, broadcasting, online safety and spectrum each have separate statutory frameworks with different sanction scales. The online safety regime, introduced by the Online Safety Act 2023, gives Ofcom the most powerful enforcement tools it has ever held.
Online Safety Act enforcement
The Online Safety Act 2023 gives Ofcom the power to fine regulated services up to 10% of global annual turnover for serious breaches, or 18 million pounds, whichever is the higher figure. For a large platform like Meta or YouTube, 10% of global turnover could amount to billions of pounds. This scale of fine was deliberately set to be meaningful for platforms of any size.
For repeated or especially serious breaches -- for example, persistent failure to implement age verification for child protection purposes, or failure to address illegal content -- Ofcom can apply to court for a service restriction order. A service restriction order requires UK internet service providers (ISPs) to block access to the non-compliant platform for UK users. This is the nuclear option in online safety enforcement.
Ofcom exercised its online pornography enforcement powers in 2026. A pornography website was fined 600,000 pounds in May 2026 for failing to implement effective age verification -- the first such fine under Ofcom's online safety powers. A second pornography website was fined in June 2026 for the same failure. These actions signal that Ofcom is willing to use its enforcement powers and will act against operators who do not implement required safeguards.
Telecoms enforcement
Telecoms providers that breach Ofcom's General Conditions of Entitlement -- the mandatory rules covering complaints handling, switching, billing, vulnerable customer protection and number portability -- face a graduated enforcement process. Ofcom will typically begin by issuing a provisional notification identifying the apparent breach and inviting the provider's response. If the breach is confirmed, a final notification is issued requiring the provider to take specified steps. Failure to comply with a final notification can result in financial penalties.
Financial penalties for telecoms breaches can be up to 10% of a provider's relevant UK annual turnover, set with reference to the seriousness of the breach, the provider's revenue, and any steps taken to remedy the harm. Ofcom publishes its enforcement decisions, which creates a public record of which providers have breached the rules and what action was taken.
Broadcasting enforcement
Ofcom's broadcast enforcement operates through the Broadcast and On Demand Bulletin, published regularly on Ofcom's website. The Bulletin records Ofcom's decisions on complaints and investigations into potential Broadcasting Code breaches. A decision that a broadcaster has breached the Code is published in the Bulletin and constitutes a formal finding against the licensee.
For more serious or repeated breaches, Ofcom can impose statutory sanctions. These include requiring the broadcaster to broadcast a statement of Ofcom's findings (effectively a public correction), imposing financial penalties, or -- in the most serious cases -- shortening or revoking the broadcast licence. Financial penalties for major commercial broadcasters can reach 250,000 pounds per breach or up to 5% of qualifying revenue for the most serious cases.
What Ofcom cannot do
Ofcom's enforcement powers are wide but not unlimited. Ofcom cannot investigate individual consumer disputes about bills, contracts or service quality -- these are handled through provider complaints processes and then ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) via the Communications Ombudsman or CISAS. Ofcom does not award individual compensation to consumers.
Ofcom cannot regulate content on social media platforms in the same way as broadcasting -- the Online Safety Act creates a separate framework for this. Ofcom cannot regulate financial services (FCA), data protection (ICO) or energy (Ofgem). For advertising complaints, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is the relevant body.
Related guides
Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only. Kael Tripton Ltd is not regulated by the FCA. Data sourced from Ofcom, legislation.gov.uk, GOV.UK and CMA. Verify current information at ofcom.org.uk.
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum fine Ofcom can issue?
Under the Online Safety Act 2023, Ofcom can fine regulated platforms up to 10% of global annual turnover or 18 million pounds, whichever is higher. This is the largest fine power Ofcom holds. For telecoms providers, the maximum is up to 10% of UK annual turnover. For broadcasters, fines can reach 250,000 pounds per breach or 5% of qualifying revenue.
Can Ofcom block a website in the UK?
Under the Online Safety Act 2023, Ofcom can apply to court for a service restriction order that requires UK internet service providers to block access to a non-compliant platform. This power is reserved for serious or repeated breaches where a platform has failed to comply with Ofcom's requirements despite enforcement action. Ofcom cannot unilaterally block websites -- it requires a court order.
Has Ofcom fined any companies under the Online Safety Act?
Yes. In May 2026 Ofcom fined a pornography website 600,000 pounds for failing to implement effective age verification as required under online safety rules. A second pornography website was fined in June 2026 for the same failure. These were the first enforcement actions under Ofcom's online pornography age verification powers.
How does Ofcom enforce telecoms rules?
Ofcom enforces telecoms rules through a graduated process: provisional notification identifying a potential breach, final notification requiring compliance, and then financial penalties for failure to comply. Penalties can be up to 10% of the provider's UK annual turnover. Decisions are published. Ofcom also monitors compliance proactively, not only in response to complaints.
Can I make a complaint to Ofcom and get compensation?
Ofcom does not award individual compensation to consumers. For individual disputes about telecoms bills, service quality or contracts, use your provider's formal complaints process first. If unresolved after 8 weeks, escalate to the Communications Ombudsman (if your provider uses that scheme) or CISAS. These ADR schemes can award compensation. Ofcom's role is systemic regulation, not individual dispute resolution.
What happens when a broadcaster breaches the Ofcom Broadcasting Code?
Ofcom publishes its findings in the Broadcast and On Demand Bulletin. A recorded breach is a formal finding against the licensee. For more serious cases, Ofcom can impose a statutory sanction -- requiring the broadcaster to air a statement of findings or pay a financial penalty. In the most extreme cases, Ofcom can revoke a broadcast licence, ending the broadcaster's right to operate.
Does Ofcom investigate social media content?
Under the Online Safety Act 2023, Ofcom is the online safety regulator for social media platforms. It does not investigate individual posts but sets system-level requirements -- platforms must have effective processes to identify and address illegal content and harmful content for children. Ofcom can investigate whether a platform's systems meet the required standards and can fine platforms that fail to comply.
What is a service restriction order?
A service restriction order is a court-granted order that requires UK internet service providers to block access to a non-compliant service. Ofcom applies to court for such an order when a regulated online service has failed to comply with Ofcom's requirements after enforcement action. It is the most severe sanction available under the Online Safety Act and is used only for serious, persistent non-compliance.
