08 numbers
Special rate numbers
What are 08 numbers?
UK telephone numbers beginning with '08' are used by many different organisations. They are commonly used for customer enquiry centres, helplines and chargeable information services.
Organisations use 08 numbers because of features which include:
- Special charge rates - either free-to-call or income-generating
- Easy and flexible re-routeing of calls across multiple locations
- The lack of any association with a specific location, implying a national presence
080 - Freephone
0800 and 0808 numbers are freephone numbers which usually cost nothing to call.
082 - Internet for schools
A little-known, dedicated range of 0820 numbers for schools' dial-up internet was allocated from early 1998 onwards.
084 - Chargeable service numbers
Calls to 0843 numbers, 0844 numbers and 0845 numbers are charged at higher rates than standard phone calls. The cost of calling includes a service charge of up to 7p per minute or per call which is used to fund the service provided, on top of a standard access charge made by the caller's phone company.
087 - Chargeable service numbers
Calls to 0870 numbers, 0871 numbers and 0872 numbers are charged at higher rates than standard phone calls. The cost of calling includes a service charge of up to 13p per minute or per call which is used to fund the service provided, on top of a standard access charge made by the caller's phone company.
089 - Network services and internal routing
Blocks of 0897 numbers and 0899 numbers are reserved for internal use and routing of calls between phone companies.
Further information
- 03 numbers - standard rate alternatives to 08 numbers
- Service and Access Charges - charging arrangements for 084 and 087 numbers
