Are 0800 free from landlines?
Yes 0800 and 0808 numbers are completely free to call from all private landlines.
0800 numbers are a special non-geographical business specific format that was introduced in the 1980s and are still popular today. In fact official figure show that UK callers spend 250 million hours calling helplines and businesses with 0800 numbers.
Instead of the caller picking up the tab for these, the cost of the call is charged to the business receiving the call. It is estimated that businesses spend up to £900m a year paying for these calls. It’s no surprise then that many have tried to shift to other non-geographical numbers such as 0845 instead.
Non-geographical numbers 084, 087, 118
There is often some confusion here as other numbers such as 0844, 0845, 0870 and 0871 are charged, and they can be costly depending on your telephone provider. The Gov.uk website has a great breakdown on the charges for calling these special non-geographical numbers. Even though the cost of calling these numbers is regulated, we recommend finding a geographical alternative instead.
Say No to 0870 is a website that does just that. It allows users to search via company name, or telephone number, and will find a geographical number e.g. on starting 01 for them to call instead. As geographical numbers are often included in the inclusive minutes of many call plans, this can save the caller a reasonable amount, especially if on hold for a long time.
Are 0800 numbers free on mobiles?
Yes! 0800 numbers should be totally free on all mobiles, inducing pay as you go. Other freephone numbers such as 0808 can also be called without any charges.
That wasn’t always the case though. Previously 0800 numbers were charged at up to 40p a minute. Fortunately rules introduced by OFCOM In December 2014 put an end to that, and 0800 have been free from mobiles ever since.
The ruling dictates that all calls to 0800 and 0808 number must be free to call from mobile phones from 26 June 2015.
0800 numbers free on Three
Three were one of the first mobile networks to get ahead of the ruling. In 2014, it declared all those taking out new contracts would be able to call 0800 and 0808 numbers for free.
Those already in contact had to wait until the OFCOM ruling took effect before they could enjoy the same privilege. This led the continued popularity of services such as 0800 Buster and 0800 Wizard, that allowed mobile customers to call a local number then be patched through to the 0800 number of their choice. Oddly these services still exist.
Are 0800 numbers free on EE?
Yes. Like all mobile networks, calling 0800 numbers from a post pay or pre-pay EE SIM is completely free. Some EE customers had grown concerned when checking their EE contracts. Typically, the contract will say something along the lines of “calls to numbers starting 08 and 09 cost 65p Access Charge + Service Charge per minute.”
EE has since clarified that this only applies to over 08 numbers, and that calls to 0800 & 0808 numbers are always free.
Calling 0800 numbers from abroad?
You can call UK 0800 numbers from abroad by dialling either +44 800 or 00 44 800 followed by the rest of the number. It’s worth noting though that is unlikely these will be free as they will be classed as an international call.
Other non-geographic numbers such as 0845 and 0870 etc… won’t work if you calling from abroad. In such instance the only alternative is to find a geographical number to call instead. Again Say No to 0870 is your friend here.
116 and special public service numbers
116 numbers are used for public services such as The Samaritans and Missing Persons helplines. These were introduced in 2008, and due to their special nature are free to call from all landlines, mobiles and public phones.
0300 numbers – What are they and are they free?
0300 numbers were introduced by OFCOM in wktk for organisations that want to have a single trusted point of contact nationwide. They are often used by helplines, non-profit organisations, and public services.
Calls to 0300 number are not free from either landlines or mobiles, but should cost no more than calling the equivalent geographical 01 number. That being said, if your call plan is inclusive of free minutes, often 0300 will be included. 02, Vodafone, Three, and EE all include 0300 numbers in their inclusive minutes.
Popular 0800 customer service numbers
To save money, money large organisations have removed their 0800 customer service numbers. Search as might, we couldn’t find freephone 0800 numbers for Vodafone, Eon, or O2, but we did find a few that might be worth while.
Sky free contact number 0800 – 0800 151 2747
General Sky customer services. Ask to be put through to the department you require.
British Gas free 0800 number – 0800 048 0505
This is the freephone British Gas number for technical support. This should not be used to report a gas leak. Call this number if you are having issues with your British Gas account.
TalkTalk customer service number 0800 – 0800 049 1402
This is a sales number for Talk Talk. You can call this number and ask to be put through to customer support service you need.