StartACall
Warning: Costs Apply

0845 Numbers
Are Not Free.

Calling an 0845 number from a mobile can be shockingly expensive. Understand the Access Charge and Service Charge before you dial.

UK Service NumberChargeable
🇬🇧

How 0845 Costs Are Calculated

Since Ofcom's regulations in 2015, the cost of calling 084, 087, and 09 numbers is split into two parts.

1. Access Charge

Paid to YOUR phone company

~65p/min

Set by EE, O2, Vodafone, etc.

+

2. Service Charge

Paid to the COMPANY you call

Up to 7p/min

Set by the business owner

Total Cost: You could pay over 70p per minute calling from a mobile!

Cheaper Alternatives

Look for an 0345 Number

Many companies have swapped their 0845 number for an equivalent 0345 number. 03 numbers are charged at the same rate as standard landlines (01/02) and are included in your mobile minutes.

Use StartACall

If you must call an 0845 number, use our browser-based dialer. We route calls over the internet, often bypassing the high "Access Charges" of mobile networks.

0845 FAQs

Why do companies use 0845 numbers?

Historically, companies earned a share of the call cost (revenue sharing). However, due to new regulations and customer dissatisfaction, many are moving to 03 numbers.

Is 0845 free on weekends?

It depends on your landline package. Some BT packages include weekend calls to 0845 numbers, but mobile contracts almost never do.

What is the difference between 0845 and 0844?

Both are service numbers. 0845 usually has a lower service charge (up to 7p/min) while 0844 can be slightly higher. Both incur the high Access Charge from mobiles.

Reaching UK 0845 Numbers From Abroad, and the Cheaper Routes Around Them

In short

0845 is a UK non geographic business number range, not a place. Callers pay their provider's access charge plus a service charge set by the company being called, and the range often cannot be dialed like a normal +44 number from abroad. The reliable strategy from overseas is finding the organisation's geographic or 03 alternative and dialing that instead.

Why +44 845 often fails from another country

A geographic UK number converts cleanly to international format, but 0845 belongs to the service charge system, where part of the cost is collected for the company you are calling. Many international carriers cannot pass that charge through, so they block the range, fail the call, or bill it at unpredictable premium rates.

This is why dialing +44 845 from abroad is a gamble even when your dialer accepts it. The number range was designed around UK domestic billing arrangements, and those arrangements simply do not travel.

Every 0845 number has a findable alternative

UK consumer rules pushed most companies toward cheaper contact numbers years ago, so the 0845 line you found is rarely the only one. Check the organisation's contact page for a calling from abroad number, which is usually a full +44 geographic line published precisely for overseas customers.

Failing that, look for an 03 number, which by regulation costs no more than a normal geographic call and converts to +44 3 for international dialing. Banks, insurers, utilities, and government bodies almost always publish one or both.

Decoding the UK's non geographic ranges at a glance

The prefixes tell you the billing story before you dial. 0800 and 0808 are freephone from within the UK. 03 numbers cost the same as geographic 01 and 02 lines. The 084 and 087 ranges carry a service charge on top of your access charge, and 09 is premium rate territory reserved for the most expensive services.

From abroad, the practical ranking is simple. A +44 1, +44 2, or +44 3 number will connect and bill normally. Anything in 084, 087, or 09 should be avoided in favour of an alternative, and even 0800 freephone status does not apply to international callers.

Dialing the alternative number from your browser

Once you have the geographic or 03 number, the call itself is straightforward. StartACall dials +44 numbers from Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Edge at a flat per minute rate for UK destinations, with no SIM, no app, and no connection fee added to a short call to a helpline queue.

Pay-as-you-go billing suits this use case well. Calls to UK companies often involve hold time, and paying by the minute from non expiring credit keeps even a long wait affordable and fully visible.

Frequently asked questions

Can I dial an 0845 number from outside the UK?+

Often not reliably. 0845 belongs to the UK service charge system, and many international carriers block the range or bill it unpredictably because they cannot process the service charge. Use the company's geographic +44 or 03 alternative number instead.

What is the difference between 0845 and 0800 numbers?+

0800 and 0808 are freephone ranges, free to call from within the UK. 0845 is a service charge range where you pay an access charge to your provider plus a charge set by the company. Neither range behaves normally when dialed from abroad.

How do I find a company's alternative to its 0845 number?+

Check the contact page for an international or calling from abroad section, which usually lists a full +44 geographic number. Otherwise look for an 03 number, which is billed like a normal landline call and converts to +44 3 from overseas.

Are 03 numbers cheaper to call than 0845 numbers?+

Yes. UK regulation requires 03 numbers to cost no more than calling a geographic 01 or 02 line, with no service charge attached. That also makes them dialable from abroad as ordinary +44 3 numbers at standard UK rates.

Last reviewed June 2026Reviewed by the StartACall calling teamDialing rules cross checked against ITU international dialing procedures
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