UK phone number prefixes: complete call charges reference 2026
Every UK phone-number prefix in one table — 01/02 geographic, 03 UK-wide, 05, 07 mobile, 070, 0800/0808 freephone, 084x, 087x, 09x premium rate, 118 directory. What each costs to call from a landline or mobile in 2026.
UK phone-number prefixes have evolved organically over 40 years and the result is a confusing mess of letters and rules. This is the full reference, 2026 edition — every prefix, what it's for, what it costs the caller from a landline and a mobile, and what the business on the other end pays.
The most useful change in recent years was Ofcom's UK Calling reforms on 1 July 2015, which split the cost of calling 084, 087, 09 and 118 numbers into a clearly stated access charge(set by the caller's phone company) and service charge(set by the business receiving the call). Calls to 01, 02, 03, 05 and 07 numbers weren't affected — they just come out of your inclusive minutes.
| Prefix | Type | Cost to call from a UK landline | Cost to call from a UK mobile | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 / 02 | Geographic landline (UK area code) | Standard inclusive minutes | Standard inclusive minutes | 01 = town/city area codes outside London. 02 = London (020), Coventry (024), Cardiff (029), N.Ireland (028). |
| 03 | UK-wide non-geographic | Same as 01/02 — included in inclusive minutes | Same as 01/02 — included in mobile bundles | Regulated by Ofcom to cost the same as a geographic call. Common ranges: 030 (public sector), 033 (business), 034/0344, 037 (registered businesses). |
| 05 | Corporate / VoIP | Standard inclusive minutes | Standard inclusive minutes | Originally allocated for IP-based services. Now uncommon — most VoIP businesses use 01/02/03. |
| 07 | Mobile | Standard inclusive minutes | Standard inclusive minutes | Excludes 070 (personal/redirect numbers — see below). |
| 070 | Personal numbering / redirect | Can be very expensive — often 50p–£1.50/min | Can be very expensive — often 50p–£1.50/min | Looks like a mobile but isn't. Frequently used in scams. Ofcom has capped rates but the prefix has a bad reputation — avoid. |
| 0800 / 0808 | Freephone | Free for caller (since 1985) | Free for caller (since 1 July 2015) | True UK freephone. Free to call from any UK landline or mobile. The receiving business covers the cost. |
| 0844 / 0843 / 0845 | Business rate (revenue-share) | Service charge up to 7p/min + access charge | Service charge up to 7p/min + access charge | Largely deprecated by Ofcom in 2015. Avoid — bad consumer perception. |
| 0870 / 0871 / 0872 / 0873 | Business rate (revenue-share) | Service charge up to 13p/min + access charge | Service charge up to 13p/min + access charge | Higher service charge band. Often associated with helplines that should legally now offer a 'basic rate' alternative. |
| 09 | Premium rate | Service charge up to £3.60/min + access charge | Service charge up to £3.60/min + access charge | Regulated by PSA (Phone-paid Services Authority). Used for premium content, voting lines, adult services. |
| 118 | Directory enquiries | Service charge varies wildly — £4–£5+ per call typical | Service charge varies wildly — £4–£5+ per call typical | Originally meant to be a competitive market — became notorious for high prices. Many UK consumers warn each other off. |
| 00 / + | International | Varies by destination country | Varies by destination — often excluded from bundles | Country code follows. UK = +44. |
Prices are indicative — your actual rate depends on your phone provider, calling plan, time of day and the specific number called. The figures above reflect the Ofcom-published caps and the typical bundles UK landline and mobile operators offer in 2026. Always check with your provider before dialling a non-geographic number.
01 / 02 — geographic numbers explained
UK geographic numbers carry an area code that ties them (loosely, these days) to a town or city. London is the only area code in active 020 use. The rest of the country sits on 01 area codes — 0117 Bristol, 0121 Birmingham, 0161 Manchester, 0131 Edinburgh, 0207 was retired in favour of 020.
Calls to 01/02 numbers are included in nearly every UK landline and mobile bundle. There's no separate access or service charge — they cost the caller nothing on inclusive minutes.
From a business perspective, 01/02 numbers signal local presence. Useful if you genuinely operate locally, less useful if your customers are nationwide.
03 — UK-wide non-geographic
03 is the modern alternative to 0845. It looks non-geographic (good for a national business) but Ofcom regulates the price so it must cost the caller the same as a 01/02 call. For the caller, that means inclusive-minutes treatment.
Common 03 ranges:
- 030 — reserved for public sector and not-for-profits.
- 033 — business UK-wide. Most common 03 you'll see.
- 034 / 0344 — business UK-wide.
- 037 — business UK-wide.
With Membership, 03 numbers are included free — unlimited.
07 — mobile numbers
All UK mobile numbers start 07 (except 070 — see below). They come out of inclusive minutes on every modern UK landline and mobile bundle. Receiving calls on a UK mobile is normally free to the recipient (within UK domestic plans).
070 — the prefix to avoid
070 numbers look like mobiles but aren't. They're "personal numbering" — a redirect service that can forward to any phone the holder configures. Historically rife with abuse: callers thought they were dialling a normal mobile and got charged 50p–£1.50/minute. Ofcom imposed a price cap in 2018, but the prefix has reputational damage and is very rarely used legitimately. Don't put one on your business.
0800 / 0808 — freephone
The only true UK freephone prefixes. Free to call from any UK landline (since 1985) and any UK mobile (since 1 July 2015). The business pays.
With Membership, 0800/0808 rental is free, and per-minute redirect is at wholesale (~0.3p/min to UK landlines, ~0.6p/min to UK mobiles). See the full guide: 0800 Numbers Explained.
084x / 087x — business rate (revenue-share)
084x and 087x numbers are revenue-share — the business receives a small kickback on each minute called. They're subject to Ofcom service-charge caps (7p/min on 084, 13p/min on 087) plus the caller's access charge.
Reputation is poor — UK consumers know "084" means "they're trying to make money from me calling them." Most legitimate businesses have moved off these prefixes. If you're a UK business holding a customer service line on 0845, the smart move is to port to 03 — same UK-wide feel, no consumer-charge baggage.
Note also: UK consumer law (Consumer Rights Act 2015) requires businesses selling regulated goods or services to provide a basic-rate number for customer service — meaning a number that costs the same as a 01/02/03 call, or is free. 084/087 don't qualify.
09x — premium rate
09x is premium rate, regulated by the Phone-paid Services Authority (PSA). Service charges can run up to £3.60/min, plus the caller's access charge. Used for content services, voting lines, competitions, adult services.
PSA rules require clear price disclosure at the point of marketing. Misuse can result in significant fines.
118 — directory enquiries
When 192 was retired in 2003, directory enquiries was opened to competition under the 118 prefix. The market famously turned predatory — some 118 services charge £20 per call. UK media coverage and consumer warnings have largely killed the market; most people now Google instead.
00 / +44 — international
UK country code is +44. International dialling drops the leading 0. So 020 7000 7000 becomes +44 20 7000 7000 from abroad. International rates vary wildly by destination — UK mobile bundles often include calls to EU and US but not other destinations.
Want to change your number?
Every UK number is portable to any UK carrier — that's your legal right under Ofcom General Conditions. With NumberGroup Membership, porting in is free, the process takes 5–10 working days for a typical geographic number, and your callers experience no change.
Cut your bill, keep your number
All UK area codes, 0800, 0808, 03, plus hosted PBX and smart routing — all included with Membership at £149/mo. Port your existing numbers in for free.