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0870 numbers
Access charge plus service charge
Ofcom caps the service charge at 10.83p per minute excluding VAT.
Service charge capped by Ofcom at 10.83 pence per minute excluding VAT, plus your access charge.
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.
0870 is a business range where you pay an access charge to your provider plus a service charge to the organisation. It is not free and not included in inclusive minutes.
How much does 0870 cost?
Calls to 0870 numbers are billed in two parts: an access charge from your phone provider and a service charge from the organisation you ring. The service charge for 0870 is capped by Ofcom, and the access charge differs between providers. Neither is included in inclusive minutes.
Who still uses 0870?
A mixture of older company helplines, ticketing and holiday firms, and call-centre services. Many organisations have replaced 0870 with a 03 number that costs the same as a landline call, so look for one before you ring.
Calling back an 0870 number
If someone has left a message asking you to call an 0870 number you do not recognise, look it up first. A quick check can save you from paying a service charge to stay on hold.
- 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 0870 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.