UK number types explained
Every range from 01 to 09: what it's for, who uses it and what calling it costs.
Start with the first few digits
Before you know anything else about a caller, the opening digits already tell you what kind of line they're on and roughly what calling them back will cost. 01 and 02 are landlines, 07 is mobile, 0800 and 0808 are free, and 09 is premium rate. What the digits can't tell you is who is actually calling. Almost any kind of number can be rented by anyone, and caller ID can be faked.
Have a particular number in mind? Look it up above, or check several at once with the bulk checker, to see its type, area, cost and reports.
All UK number types
| Kind of number | Begins | Cost to call | We hold |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landline | 01, 02 | Calling an 01 or 02 number costs the same as any UK landline call, and it normally comes out of the inclusive minutes on your landline or mobile plan. | 18,054 |
| National (03) | 03 | An 03 number never costs more than calling an 01 or 02 landline, and it counts towards your inclusive minutes. They are used by councils, banks, charities and large companies, but any organisation can have one. | 2,380 |
| Mobile | 07 | Calls to UK mobiles are normally included in mobile plans, though some landline packages charge more. Because people keep their number when they switch, the digits don't tell you which network it's on now. | 17,631 |
| Personal number | 070 | 070 numbers are personal numbers, not mobiles, and calling one can cost much more than calling a mobile. Be careful about returning a call to an 070 number you don't know. | 49 |
| Pager | 076 | 076 numbers were set aside for pagers. Calls to them usually cost the same as a mobile call or more, so check the price first. | 8 |
| Freephone | 080 | Calls to 0800 and 0808 numbers are free from UK landlines and mobiles. | 513 |
| Business rate | 084 | Calling an 084 or 087 number costs your provider's access charge plus a service charge set by the organisation, and these calls usually aren't included in bundles. | 73 |
| Business rate | 087 | Calling an 084 or 087 number costs your provider's access charge plus a service charge set by the organisation, and these calls usually aren't included in bundles. | 24 |
| Premium rate | 09 | 09 numbers are premium rate and can cost many times more than an ordinary call. You should be told the price before any charge starts. | 84 |
| Internet phone (VoIP) | 055, 056 | 055 and 056 numbers are used by internet phone (VoIP) and business networks. Your own provider decides what it costs, so check before you call back. | 8 |
Landlines (01, 02)
UK landline numbers start 01 or 02, followed by an area code that belongs to a particular place: 020 is London, 0121 Birmingham, 0161 Manchester, 0131 Edinburgh. The 02 range covers a few big areas: London (020), Southampton and Portsmouth (023), Coventry (024), Northern Ireland (028) and Cardiff (029).
National (03)
03 numbers aren't tied to any location. Organisations use them so they can have a single number for the whole UK, which means the number doesn't tell you where the caller is.
All about 03 numbers: 0300, 0330, 0333, 0344, 0345
Mobiles (07)
UK mobile numbers have 11 digits and start 07, for example 07700 900123. The ranges used for real mobiles are 071 to 075 and 077 to 079. Numbers starting 070 are personal forwarding numbers, and most 076 numbers are pagers, so neither is a normal mobile.
Personal numbers (070)
An 070 number looks like a mobile but isn't one. It's a personal number that passes the call on to another phone, and calling it can cost quite a bit more than calling a real mobile.
Pagers (076)
The 076 range is reserved for pagers. Calling one generally costs at least as much as calling a mobile, so check the price first.
Freephone (080)
Any number starting 080 is freephone. Whoever owns the line pays for the call, so it costs you nothing from a UK landline or mobile. That is why helplines, charities and customer service desks like them. They are almost always written as 0800 or 0808 and then seven digits, such as 0800 112 3456.
080 numbers · 0800 · 0808
Business rate (084)
084 numbers are charged at business rate. The price of a call is split in two: an access charge set by your own phone provider, and a service charge set by the organisation you're calling, part of which goes to them. Most numbers in this range start 0843, 0844 or 0845.
084 numbers · 0843 · 0844 · 0845
Business rate (087)
087 covers 0870, 0871, 0872 and 0873. Like 084 these are business-rate numbers, but 0871, 0872 and 0873 tend to carry the highest service charges of any business number. If a business number is going to bump up your phone bill, it's most likely to be one of these.
087 numbers · 0870 · 0871 · 0872
Premium rate (09)
Numbers starting 09 are premium rate, the most expensive numbers you can call in the UK. You pay a service charge set by whoever runs the line on top of your provider's access charge, and together that can come to several pounds a minute. They're used for competitions and TV votes, chat and adult services, and paid information or advice.
VoIP (055, 056)
Numbers beginning 055 or 056 belong to internet phone (VoIP) services and company phone networks. They aren't linked to a place or to any particular type of caller, so the digits on their own tell you very little.
Prefixes people look up most
The small figure shows how many numbers with that prefix we hold.
Questions about number types
What do the first digits of a UK phone number mean?
They tell you the kind of line and give a rough guide to cost. 01 and 02 are landlines linked to a place, 03 is a UK-wide number, 07 is a mobile, 08 covers freephone and business-rate lines, and 09 is premium rate.
Which numbers are free to call in the UK?
0800 and 0808 numbers cost nothing from UK landlines and mobiles. Calls to 01, 02 and 03 numbers are charged as normal landline calls and are usually included in your plan's minutes.
What counts as a business-rate number?
Anything starting 084 or 087. The price is made up of your own provider's access charge plus a service charge set by the organisation, so they often cost more than a regular call.
Are all 07 numbers mobiles?
Almost all. The exceptions are 070, which are personal numbers that forward calls, and most of 076, which are pagers. Numbers starting 07624 are mobiles on the Isle of Man.
Which numbers are the most expensive to call?
09 premium-rate numbers can cost several pounds per minute. 070 personal numbers and some 087 numbers can be pricey too. Check any unfamiliar number before you call it back.
How can I tell what type a number is?
Look it up on Who Called Me Check or paste a list into the bulk checker. Each result shows the line type, area, cost and any reports from people who were called.
Related: calling the UK from abroad, our who called me UK guide and common scam calls.