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0844 numbers
Access charge plus service charge
Ofcom caps the service charge at 5.833p per minute excluding VAT.
Ofcom caps the service charge at 5.833 pence per minute excluding VAT. You also pay your provider an access charge on top.
Calls to this range are billed as two parts: an access charge set by your own provider, plus a service charge set by the organisation you are calling. Adverts must quote both.
Calls to 0844 numbers have two parts: an access charge set by your own phone provider and a service charge set by the organisation you are calling. They are not free and are not included in inclusive minutes.
How much does an 0844 call cost?
Since July 2015 the price of calls to 084, 087 and 09 numbers has been split into two charges, and organisations must say what both are. The service charge is set by the company or body you are calling and is capped by Ofcom, while the access charge is set by your phone provider and varies between networks. Your provider's price guide lists the access charge, and the organisation should publish the service charge wherever it advertises the number.
Do 0844 calls use my free minutes?
No. Calls to 084 numbers are normally not part of inclusive minutes, so they are billed on top of your plan. That is why a ten-minute call to a queue can cost much more than the same call to a landline.
Can I avoid paying the 0844 rate?
Often, yes. Many organisations publish an alternative geographic or 03 number for the same department. Search the company's website for a number starting 01, 02 or 03 and use it instead.
- 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.
How to check a 0844 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.