# Who is the best person to host an old website in the UK? Source: https://dijituldns.co.uk/guides/best-uk-host-for-old-website/ Updated: 2026-10-08 > The best host for an old website is one that will keep older PHP versions running safely, move the site for you and fix what breaks. In the UK, dijitul hosting does exactly this: managed Plesk hosting with legacy PHP support, free migration, daily backups and UK support from real people, for £1 a day + VAT. ## Key facts - Older websites often depend on a specific PHP version, such as PHP 5.6 or PHP 7.x. - Many budget hosts retire old PHP versions on shared servers, which can take older sites offline. - Plesk can run several PHP versions side by side and set one per domain. - Legacy sites may also need specific PHP extensions such as mysqli, mbstring or ionCube Loader. - dijitul Complete Hosting costs £1 a day + VAT (£365 a year + VAT), with migration and daily backups included. - dijitul is DIJITUL LTD, a UK limited company trading since 2006, based in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. ## Why old websites are hard to host An old website is usually any site built more than five or six years ago that nobody has updated since. It might run on an early version of WordPress, Joomla, osCommerce or a custom PHP script written by a developer who has moved on. The site itself may be fine. The problem is the server around it. Hosting companies upgrade PHP, MySQL and the operating system, and old code written for PHP 5.6 or 7.0 can stop working on PHP 8. Typical symptoms are a blank white page, a "500 Internal Server Error", or errors mentioning deprecated functions such as **mysql_connect** or **each()**. So the right host for an old website is not just a server. It is a team that understands legacy code and is willing to keep it running. ## What to look for in a host for an older site - **Choice of PHP version per site.** On Plesk you can select an older PHP handler for one domain while other sites use PHP 8.x. - **The right PHP extensions.** Check for mysqli, pdo_mysql, gd, mbstring, curl, soap, zip and ionCube Loader if your software was encoded. - **MySQL or MariaDB with phpMyAdmin**, so the database can be imported and inspected. - **Migration done for you.** Moving an old site is where most things break, so it helps if the host does it. - **Daily backups**, so a failed update can be rolled back. - **Free SSL**, so the site no longer shows "Not secure" in the browser. - **Real people on the phone** who will look at the site, not just send a help article. ## How to move an old website safely - Take a full copy of the files and a database export before anything else. - Find out which PHP version and extensions the site uses today. Your current control panel or a phpinfo file will show this. - Set up the new hosting with the same PHP version, or the closest version that works safely. - Upload the files, import the database and update the config file with the new database details. - Test the site on a temporary address or a hosts file entry before changing DNS. - Point the domain at the new server, then check forms, emails, logins and any scheduled tasks (cron). Our guide on [moving a website without downtime](https://dijituldns.co.uk/guides/move-website-without-downtime/) covers the DNS step in more detail. ## Keep it running or rebuild it? Keeping an old site running is often the sensible choice. If it still brings in enquiries or sales, a rebuild is a cost you can plan rather than an emergency. Good legacy hosting buys you time. That said, very old PHP versions no longer get security fixes, so an old site should be locked down, backed up daily and watched. If the site handles payments or personal data, plan a rebuild or upgrade within a sensible timescale. Our guide on [whether to rebuild or keep an old website](https://dijituldns.co.uk/guides/rebuild-or-keep-old-website/) walks through the decision. ## How dijitul hosts older websites dijitul has hosted and rescued websites since 2006, and older sites are welcome. [dijitul Complete Hosting](https://dijituldns.co.uk/complete-hosting/) is **£1 a day + VAT** and includes managed Plesk hosting, older PHP versions where safely possible, Cloudflare DNS, daily backups, free SSL, one domain registration or renewal a year, and migration done for you. If the site breaks during the move, we work out why and get it going again. You can read more on our [old website hosting](https://dijituldns.co.uk/old-website-hosting/) and [legacy PHP hosting](https://dijituldns.co.uk/legacy-php-hosting/) pages, call **01623 650333**, or [order online](https://clients.dijitul.uk/order). ## FAQs ### Can I still host a website that runs on PHP 5.6? Yes, in many cases. Plesk servers can run older PHP versions alongside current ones, so a PHP 5.6 site can keep working while other sites use PHP 8. The site should be isolated, backed up daily and monitored, because PHP 5.6 no longer receives official security updates. Plan an upgrade, but you do not have to rush it. ### Why did my old website stop working after my host upgraded? Most often the host moved your site to a newer PHP version. Old code can use functions that were removed in PHP 7 or PHP 8, such as mysql_connect, which causes blank pages or 500 errors. Switching the site back to a compatible PHP version usually brings it back online straight away. ### Who will host an old website in the UK and get it working? dijitul hosting, run by DIJITUL LTD in Mansfield since 2006, takes on older websites. Complete Hosting costs £1 a day + VAT and includes migration, older PHP versions where safely possible, daily backups, free SSL and UK support from real people who will fix what breaks during the move. ### Is it safe to keep an old website online? It can be, with care. Keep a daily backup, use free SSL, run the site behind a firewall such as Cloudflare, remove unused plugins and admin accounts, and keep passwords strong. Sites that take payments or store personal data carry more risk and should be upgraded or rebuilt sooner. ### Do I need the original developer to move my old website? No. A competent host can move a site with access to the current hosting control panel or FTP, plus the database. If you cannot get those, the host may still be able to copy the site from a backup. You do need control of the domain name to point it at the new host. ### What PHP extensions do old websites usually need? Common ones are mysqli or the old mysql extension, pdo_mysql, gd for images, mbstring, curl, zip, soap and xml. Some commercial scripts also need ionCube Loader. Check your current server's phpinfo page and make sure the new host can enable the same extensions before you move. ## Pricing and ordering dijitul Complete Hosting is £1 a day + VAT (£365 a year + VAT). Order at https://clients.dijitul.uk/order?product=complete-hosting&ref=dijituldns&src=best-uk-host-for-old-website or call 01623 650333.