# 8 Ways to Avoid Roaming Bills in the UK > The surest way to avoid roaming bills in the UK is to switch off roaming on your home SIM and use a travel eSIM for data. Since Brexit, many EU and overseas plans no longer treat the UK as part of a free roaming zone. Check your plan before you fly, then set up data before you land. - Canonical: https://fresim.com/lists/ways-to-avoid-roaming-bills-in-the-uk - Published: 2026-10-27 - Updated: 2026-10-27 - Author: Fresim - Section: Travel lists ## Intro This list is for visitors from the EU and further afield who assume their phone plan works in the UK the way it does at home. The one thing to do first is read your home plan's UK roaming terms before you leave, because the rules changed after Brexit and many plans no longer cover the UK. ## Items ### 1. Check your plan's UK roaming terms Many EU roaming perks no longer extend to the UK after Brexit, so a plan that was free to use in Europe may now charge for data, calls or texts in Britain. Finding out at home is far cheaper than finding out on your bill. **How:** Open your provider's app or website, or call customer service, and ask exactly what the UK is charged as. Look for any daily pass, data cap or fair-use limit. **Tip:** Ask in writing or take a screenshot of the answer so you have a record if a charge appears later. ### 2. Install a travel eSIM before you fly A travel eSIM gives you local-style data without touching your home plan's roaming rates, and it is ready the moment you land. Fresim creator stores sell travel eSIMs, delivered by email with one-tap install buttons: Install on iPhone (iOS 17.4+) or Install on Android (Android 10+). **How:** Buy from a creator store, open the delivery email on your phone while on home Wi-Fi, and tap the Install button for your phone. Leave the eSIM line switched off until you arrive. **Tip:** Prices vary by destination and are set by each store, so compare a couple of stores before you buy. ### 3. Download offline maps and tickets Navigation is one of the biggest silent data users when you are finding your way out of an airport or around a new city. Offline maps keep working with no connection at all. **How:** In Google Maps, search for the city, tap its name, then choose Download offline map while you are on Wi-Fi. Save train and event tickets to your phone's wallet app too. **Tip:** Download the area around your accommodation as well as the city centre. ### 4. Turn off roaming on your home SIM This is the single setting that stops your home provider quietly billing you for data abroad. Apps keep fetching data in the background the moment you land. **How:** On iPhone, go to Settings, Mobile Service, tap your home line and switch Data Roaming off. On Android, go to Settings, Network & internet, SIMs, choose your home SIM and switch Roaming off. **Tip:** Do this before boarding, not after you land. ### 5. Set the travel eSIM as your data line With two lines on one phone, you need to tell it which one carries data. If it picks your home SIM, you are back to roaming charges. **How:** On arrival, switch the travel eSIM line on, then on iPhone choose it under Settings, Mobile Service, Mobile Data. On Android, pick it under SIMs as the mobile data SIM. **Tip:** Keep your home SIM on for calls and texts you need, with its roaming switch off, and check you still receive verification codes. ### 6. Turn on Low Data Mode or Data Saver Background updates, photo backups and app refreshes can drain a travel data allowance in the first day or two. Trimming them stretches your data across the whole trip. **How:** On iPhone, open your travel eSIM line in Mobile Service settings and switch Low Data Mode on. On Android, turn on Data Saver in the network settings. **Tip:** Set large app and photo uploads to Wi-Fi only. ### 7. Use Wi-Fi calling and messaging apps Calls and texts through your home number can be billed at roaming rates, while messaging and video call apps over Wi-Fi or your eSIM data cost nothing extra. Most hotels, cafes and stations offer Wi-Fi. **How:** Use WhatsApp, FaceTime or similar apps for calls and messages. If you want Wi-Fi Calling on your home number, check your provider supports it in the UK before relying on it. **Tip:** Tell family which app to reach you on so nobody rings your home number by mistake. ### 8. Check your data usage after day one A quick check catches a wrong setting early, before it turns into a large bill. It also shows whether your travel data is on track to last the trip. **How:** On iPhone, open Settings, Mobile Service and read usage for each line. On Android, open Settings, Network & internet and look at data usage for each SIM, then set a warning level. **Tip:** If your home line shows any data use, recheck that roaming is off. ## Connectivity note The simplest way to have data when you land is a travel eSIM installed before you leave. Open the delivery email from your Fresim creator store and tap Install on iPhone or Install on Android, and the eSIM installs in one step. The QR code in the same email is a second option, handy for sharing the eSIM or installing it from another screen. ## Checklist - Check home plan UK terms - Install travel eSIM at home - Download offline maps - Switch off home roaming - Choose eSIM for data - Check usage on day one ## Frequently asked questions ### Does my phone plan still roam for free in the UK after Brexit? Not necessarily. The UK left the EU roaming rules after Brexit, and each provider now sets its own terms for the UK. Some plans still include it, some apply limits, and some charge. Check with your provider before you travel. ### How do I turn off data roaming on my phone? On iPhone, go to Settings, Mobile Service, tap your line and switch Data Roaming off. On Android, go to Settings, Network & internet, SIMs, choose your SIM and switch Roaming off. Menu names vary slightly by phone. ### Is a travel eSIM a good way to avoid roaming charges in the UK? Yes, for data it is one of the most straightforward options. You install it before you leave, switch it on when you land, and keep your home line's roaming off. Fresim creator stores sell travel eSIMs with prices set by each store. ### How do I install a travel eSIM from Fresim? Open the delivery email on your phone and tap Install on iPhone (iOS 17.4+) or Install on Android (Android 10+). The eSIM installs in one step. The QR code in the email is a second way to install it from another screen or share it. ### Can I still use WhatsApp and Wi-Fi calling in the UK without roaming charges? Messaging and calling apps like WhatsApp use data, so they run on Wi-Fi or your travel eSIM rather than your home plan's roaming. Wi-Fi Calling on your home number depends on your provider, so confirm UK support first. ## Sources - Using your mobile phone abroad: consumer guidance — Ofcom - Travelling to the UK: visitor information — GOV.UK - Use cellular data and roaming settings on iPhone — Apple Support - Download areas and navigate offline in Google Maps — Google Maps Help --- Markdown version of https://fresim.com/lists/ways-to-avoid-roaming-bills-in-the-uk. Fresim lets travel creators open their own branded eSIM store: https://fresim.com/partners