Are 0800 numbers free in the UK?

Yes. 0800 and 0808 numbers are free to call from UK landlines and mobiles. A 2015 rule made them free from mobiles too.

Can I call a UK 0800 number from abroad?

Often not. Freephone status applies only within the UK, so most 0800 numbers do not connect from another country, or are no longer free if they do.

What can I dial instead from abroad?

Look for the organisation's standard 01 or 02 landline. Dial it as +44, dropping the leading zero, which you can do through your browser with StartACall.

Who pays for an 0800 call?

The organisation that owns the number pays for it. That is why freephone lines are common for helplines, banks and customer service.

How much is the 01 or 02 alternative to call?

A UK landline is about $0.0514 per minute through StartACall, billed per minute, with your first call free and credit that never expires.

Are UK 0800 numbers free or not? | StartACall | StartACall

Are 0800 numbers really free?

Numbers starting 0800 and 0808 are UK freephone numbers, and they are free to call from both UK landlines and UK mobiles. Calls from mobiles used to carry a charge, but a rule change in 2015 made 0800 and 0808 free from mobiles as well, so today they really are free across the board within the UK.

Freephone is paid for by the organisation that owns the number, which is why banks, helplines and customer services use them. From within the UK you pay nothing to reach them, no matter how long the call lasts. That is genuinely free, with no per minute charge and no access fee, which is what sets 0800 and 0808 apart from the rest of the 08 range.

0800 is not the same as 0845

It is easy to lump all 08 numbers together, but they are not all free. Numbers starting 0845 and 0844 are service numbers, and they can carry an access charge from your provider plus a service charge set by the organisation.

So while 0800 and 0808 are genuinely free, 0845 and 0844 are not. If cost matters, it is worth checking the exact prefix, since the difference between freephone and a chargeable service number is just a couple of digits. When an organisation lists an 0845 or 0844 line, it is always worth scanning their contact page for a plain 01 or 02 landline as well, since that geographic number is usually the cheaper and more predictable one to call.

Calling a UK 0800 number from abroad

Freephone status only applies inside the UK. Most 0800 and 0808 numbers do not work when dialled from another country, and where they do connect the call is usually no longer free, since the freephone arrangement does not extend overseas.

If you are abroad and need to reach a UK organisation, the simplest fix is to find their standard geographic number, which starts 01 or 02. Many companies list a regular landline alongside their freephone line for exactly this reason, often on the contact page of their website. If you cannot find one listed, it is worth phoning a branch or office directly, since those numbers are almost always geographic.

Reaching them through the browser

Once you have a geographic 01 or 02 number, you can call it from StartACall in your browser. Type +44, drop the leading zero and add the rest, then press call, with no app and no SIM.

A UK landline costs about $0.0514 per minute through StartACall, billed per minute with a small $0.004 connection fee and credit that never expires. Your first call is free, so you can connect to that 01 or 02 line without worrying about overseas freephone restrictions or surprise charges. This is often the most reliable way to reach a UK bank, helpline or company from another country, because you sidestep the freephone limitation entirely and dial a standard geographic number that works from anywhere in the world.

UK 0800 numbers, free or not?

What you get

How it works

Open StartACall

Type +44 and the 01 or 02 number

Press call

Why people use StartACall

Instant setup

Pay as you go

No app, no SIM

Ready to make your first call?