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0800 numbers
Free to call from any UK landline or mobile
Freephone. The organisation you call pays the entire cost. Since July 2015 calls to 0800 are free from mobiles too, which many people still do not realise.
0800 numbers are freephone: the organisation pays for the call. Since July 2015 they have also been free from mobiles, which many people still do not realise.
Are 0800 numbers really free?
Yes. Calls to 0800 numbers are free from UK landlines and from UK mobiles, and they do not use up your inclusive minutes or credit. The organisation you are calling pays. Calls from abroad are different and may be charged, so check with your provider before ringing an 0800 number from overseas.
0800 and 0808: what is the difference?
Nothing for your wallet: both are free to call. Numbers starting 0808 80 are set aside for confidential helplines and do not appear on itemised bills, which is why many charities use them. Other 0808 and 0800 numbers are used by businesses, utilities and government services as ordinary free customer lines.
Why would someone ring me from an 0800 number?
Because a free number makes people more likely to answer and call back. Genuine companies use it, and so do firms making unsolicited marketing calls. A scammer can also make an 0800 number appear on your screen. Ringing back an 0800 number will not cost you anything, but what the person on the other end says still matters.
- Do not give out passcodes, PINs or full card details to someone who rang you.
- Hang up and call the organisation back on the number printed on your card, bill or its official website.
- Never act on a caller's request to move money, however official the number looks.
Companies that publish an 0800 number
Many large organisations list an 0800 number alongside a standard landline number. If a company shows a chargeable number such as 0845 or 087, check its website for a free 0800 alternative or a geographic number before you call.
How to check a 0800 number
Type the full number into the search box on this page. You will see how other people have rated it and what they were told on the call. If nobody has reported it yet, you can add the first report.