Changes to Service Number Charging

When you make a telephone call to a service number – one beginning 08, 09 or 118 – it’s not always clear how much it will cost.

That is going to change, under a new system that will make the cost of calling service numbers clear for everyone. It affects all calls from consumer mobiles and landlines to 08, 09 and 118 numbers.

From 1 July 2015, the cost of calling service numbers will be made up of two parts:

• An access charge: This part of the call charge goes to your phone company, charged as pence per minute. They will tell you how much the access charge will be for calls to service numbers. It will be made clear on bills and when you take out a contract.

• A service charge: This is the rest of the call charge. The organisation you are calling decides this, and will tell you how much it is.

Which numbers are affected

These rules will apply to all consumer calls to 084, 087, 09 and 118 numbers across the UK, delivering clearer call rates for everyone.

• Calls to landlines and mobiles are not affected. Neither are calls from payphones, international calls, or calls to the UK when roaming overseas.

Freephone

In addition, all Freephone numbers (which begin 0800 or 0808) are being made free for consumers to call from all phones, whether mobile or landline.