communication administrative_barrier ai_generated true

AI tells someone in the UK that calling an 0800 or 0808 number from a mobile phone costs money

ID: communication/freephone-0800-0808-free-from-mobile

Also available as: JSON · Markdown
90%Fix Rate
75%Confidence
3Evidence
2026-09-09First Seen

Version Compatibility

VersionStatusIntroducedDeprecatedNotes
any active — — —

Root Cause

In the UK, calls to 0800, 0808, and 116 numbers are free from both landlines and mobile phones - a rule that has held since Ofcom's 1 July 2015 'UK Calling' reform, which shifted the mobile-network access charge for these numbers onto the number owner rather than the caller. Before that date, mobiles were commonly charged 14-40p/minute for calling 0800 numbers even though they were free from landlines; that older behaviour no longer applies. Numbers starting 084, 087, 09, and 118 remain chargeable from mobiles, split into a service charge (set by the organisation called) plus the caller's own network access charge.

generic

Workarounds

  1. 90% success Check the first four digits: 0800/0808/116 are always free from mobile and landline; 0843/0844/0845 and 0870-0873 carry a service charge plus your provider's access charge; 09 and 118 numbers are premium rate and can be expensive per minute 
    gov.uk/call-charges publishes the current per-range price caps if an exact cost is needed.

    Sources: https://www.gov.uk/call-charges

Dead Ends

Common approaches that don't work:

  1. Tell someone calling a UK 0800 or 0808 number from a mobile phone to expect a per-minute charge, or to prefer calling from a landline to avoid cost 60% fail

    gov.uk's call-charges guidance lists 0800, 0808, and 116 numbers as 'Free' for both landlines and mobiles - identical cost, £0, regardless of which type of phone is used. Citizens Advice confirms 'Calls to these numbers are always free from mobiles and landlines.'

  2. Assume all numbers starting with '08' are free, lumping 0843/0844/0870-0873 in with 0800/0808 55% fail

    nidirect.gov.uk explains 084 and 087 numbers split into an access charge set by the caller's provider (a few pence to over 80p/minute) plus a separate service charge set by the organisation called - these numbers are not free like 0800/0808/116.