Virgin Media email is being withdrawn: what we know
The Virgin Media email address you have used for years is about to get a price tag. Virgin Media is closing its email service and moving accounts to a paid provider called Junara. It announced the change on 9 September 2026 and said it would write to affected customers. If your Virgin Media email matters to you, that is an inbox worth sorting before someone else sets the deadline.
The details below come from Virgin Media O2’s own announcement unless we say otherwise. MoneySavingExpert, which covered the story on 5 November, says Virgin stopped offering free email accounts to new customers in 2022. Check the email Virgin Media sent you for the dates that apply to you.
Which Virgin Media email addresses are affected?
Virgin Media O2’s announcement says the change affects anyone with a Virgin Media email account, and names four endings:
- @virginmedia.com
- @ntlworld.com
- @blueyonder.co.uk
- @virgin.net
If your Virgin Media email ends in one of those, assume it is on the list. Virgin Media said in September that it would contact affected customers, so it is worth searching your inbox for a message about your account.
How long do you have before your Virgin Media email closes?
Virgin Media says you will have at least 45 days from its first email to you to decide what to do. The clock starts from your own email, not from a single date for everyone.
If you do nothing in those 45 days, your email access is suspended. After that there is a further 120 day window when the account and its data can be recovered if necessary, and MoneySavingExpert says you would need to contact Virgin Media’s customer services to do that.
Virgin Media says that if no action is taken after the 165 day window, the email account is permanently deleted. In plain terms, doing nothing ends with every email in that account being gone.
Will you have to pay to keep your Virgin Media email?
Yes, if you want to keep the same address. MoneySavingExpert says Virgin Media and Junara both refused to say what the service will cost after the introductory period.
Virgin Media says current customers who move to Junara get the first 12 months of the new service free of charge, subject to a 99p transfer fee paid to Junara. Customers who have told Virgin Media they need extra support get the first 18 months on the same terms. MoneySavingExpert describes the same offer as 12 months for 99p, and calls it effectively a trial period. Either way, 99p is what you pay to cover that first year.
After that, the price is not confirmed. MoneySavingExpert says it has seen users report prices ranging from £59 a year to £99 a year for each mailbox, with one forum user suggesting around £68, and that these are user reports rather than an announced price. If you are not a current Virgin Media customer, MoneySavingExpert says there is no trial offer, and you would need to pay the full annual fee.
Junara is a specialist email provider owned by Atmail, according to Virgin Media O2’s announcement.
How to move on from your Virgin Media email
You do not need to pay just to keep your email working. MoneySavingExpert suggests setting up an address that is separate from your broadband provider, so you are never locked in again. Free options include Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail and Yahoo Mail.
- Set up a new address first. Pick a free provider that is not tied to your broadband.
- Save anything important. Once the account is permanently deleted after the 165 days, nothing can be recovered. You can forward key emails to the new address, or use the export tools in email apps such as Outlook to save in bulk.
- Update your accounts. Banks, utilities, shops and streaming services may all use your old address, so change it before the old one stops working.
- Check the notice email. It should carry instructions from Virgin Media, so read it for your own dates.
Our guide to your broadband email address explains why an address tied to your provider can cause trouble when you switch. This closure is a live example of the same problem.
Key takeaways
- Virgin Media email is closing and existing accounts are moving to Junara, a paid provider owned by Atmail.
- You get at least 45 days to decide, then a further 120 days when data can be recovered, before permanent deletion at 165 days.
- The first 12 months cost 99p for current customers, and the price after that has not been confirmed by Virgin Media or Junara.
- A free address from a separate provider avoids paying and avoids being locked in.
Does this mean you have to stay with Virgin Media?
No. Your email address and your broadband contract are separate things, and this change does not alter your broadband deal. If anything, it is a reason to stop tying your inbox to your provider.
If you are thinking about leaving anyway, check the end date of your contract and any early exit charges first. Our post on Virgin Media renewal offers covers what existing customers can ask for. Whatever you decide, move your Virgin Media email address to somewhere you control before the deadline.
Frequently asked questions about Virgin Media email
- Is Virgin Media email really closing?
- Yes. Virgin Media announced on 9 September 2026 that it is closing its email service and moving accounts to Junara, a paid provider.
- How much does Junara cost?
- Neither Virgin Media nor Junara has said, according to MoneySavingExpert. Virgin Media says current customers get the first 12 months free subject to a 99p transfer fee, and users have reported later prices of £59 to £99 a year per mailbox, which are reports and not confirmed prices.
- What happens if I do not respond to the email?
- After 45 days your access is suspended. The account can be recovered for a further 120 days through customer services, then it is permanently deleted at 165 days.
- Can I keep my emails if I move to a free provider?
- Yes, if you save them before the account closes. You can forward important emails or use the export tools in email apps. Update your other accounts with the new address.
- Do I need to leave Virgin Media broadband because of this?
- No. The email change is separate from your broadband contract.
Sources
- Virgin Media O2: changes to Virgin Media email services, 9 September 2026. Source of the affected addresses, the at least 45 day notice, the 120 day recovery window, permanent deletion after 165 days, the first 12 and 18 month offers, the 99p transfer fee and Junara’s ownership by Atmail.
- MoneySavingExpert: Virgin Media email closure, 5 November 2026. Source of the 2022 point, the refusal to confirm pricing, the reported £59 to £99 a year figures, the no trial point for non-customers and the free alternatives.
Checked 6 November 2026. Check the email Virgin Media sent you for the terms that apply to your account.
