Static IP Business Broadband: When You Need One and How Much It Costs

A static public IP address keeps the same internet-facing address for your business connection, and most UK business broadband providers now include, discount or add it for roughly £0 to £10 a month plus VAT. You need one when another system must consistently recognise or connect back to that address. It does not make broadband faster, and it is not a security feature by itself.

What a static IP address changes

Your broadband router presents an Internet Protocol address to the wider internet. With a dynamic service, the provider can replace that address over time. A static IP remains assigned to the connection, giving authorised users and services a predictable destination or identity.

This is different from giving a printer or computer a fixed address inside the office. That local network setting does not create a static public IP. Also ask whether the provider supplies a public IPv4 address rather than placing the connection behind carrier-grade network address translation, which can prevent unsolicited inbound connections.

What is CGNat and why does it matter?

Carrier-grade network address translation, or CGNat, is how a provider shares one public IPv4 address across many customer connections, a response to the industry running out of new IPv4 addresses to hand out individually. A connection behind CGNat can browse the web normally, but it cannot reliably accept unsolicited inbound connections, so an IP-allowlisted portal, an inbound VPN or a self-hosted service will not work correctly until the line is moved onto a dedicated, non-shared static IPv4 address.

Ask a prospective provider directly whether the specific package you are quoted is behind CGNat by default, since this is not always stated on the pricing page. Some providers use CGNat on entry-level packages and only supply a dedicated address as a paid add-on or on a higher tier.

When does a business need a static IP?

A static address is useful when you have a specific inbound or identification need:

• IP allowlisting: a supplier, bank or cloud platform accepts connections only from approved office addresses
• An on-site VPN gateway: remote workers or another branch must connect to a predictable office endpoint
• Remote equipment: authorised administrators need to reach an on-site firewall, server or monitoring system
• Self-hosted services: a service at your premises must remain reachable from outside the network
• Business VoIP: some hosted and on-site VoIP or SIP trunk setups route more reliably from a fixed address, which matters more as the UK approaches the January 2027 PSTN and ISDN switch-off covered in our PSTN switch-off guide for small businesses
• Multiple public services: a larger address block may be needed where separate systems cannot share one address through port forwarding

Do not expose CCTV, storage or administration pages directly to the internet merely because a static IP makes it possible. A properly secured VPN or managed remote-access service is usually a safer route.

When you probably do not need one

A dynamic IP is normally sufficient if the business mainly uses hosted email, web-based accounting, cloud storage, card terminals, video meetings and ordinary browsing. These are outbound connections and do not usually require the office to keep the same public address. Faster downloads, better Wi-Fi and improved fault support are separate buying decisions covered in our best business broadband providers guide.

Static IP pricing across major UK business providers

Static IP business broadband pricing and inclusion policy vary widely by provider and tier. The table below compares the major national providers checked on 20 September 2026.

Treat every figure in this table as a starting point, not a quote. Where we could confirm a policy only through independent reporting rather than the provider's own current pricing page, we have flagged it as such above, and you should still ask the provider directly to confirm the live price and whether the specific package quoted to you is behind CGNat by default.

Compare the full minimum-term cost. Moving to a dearer package solely to obtain an included address can cost more than a modest add-on. If you need several addresses, ask for the usable address count, monthly charge, setup work and router requirements in writing.

Static IP security: what it does and does not do

A fixed IP can support security controls such as allowlisting, but the address itself does not encrypt traffic or stop an attack. Because it remains easy to locate, any internet-facing service should use a correctly configured firewall, current software, restricted ports, strong authentication and monitoring. Limit remote access to the smallest group that needs it.

Five questions to ask before paying for a static IP

1. What system requires it, specifically? Ask the application supplier or IT administrator to name the exact allowlist, VPN or hosted service that needs a fixed address, rather than buying one speculatively.
2. Is the address a static public IPv4 address, and is IPv6 also available? A local network setting or an IPv6-only address will not satisfy an IPv4 allowlist requirement.
3. What is the monthly price excluding and including VAT, and is one address included at your tier? Business prices are commonly quoted excluding VAT.
4. Will the address stay with the service after a package change or premises move? Some providers reissue a new address in either case.
5. What fault-response commitment and backup connection does the package provide? A static IP does not substitute for a resilience or support upgrade.

The practical decision

Ask the application supplier or IT administrator to state exactly why a fixed public address is required. If the answer is allowlisting, an inbound VPN, business VoIP or an on-site service, include static IP support in the broadband shortlist. If there is no defined use, choose on availability, total cost, upload speed and support instead. Our small office broadband setup guide and leased line cost guide cover the wider connectivity decisions that often come up alongside a static IP request.