0800 and 0808 numbers: freephone
Calls to 0800 and 0808 numbers are free from UK landlines and mobiles.
Ofcom's plan makes 080 numbers free to the caller. That also makes them a good disguise: a call showing an 0800 number is not proof that it came from the company you think.
If an 0800 caller asks you to move money or read out a code, hang up and call the organisation back on a number you find yourself.
What it costs to call
| Number | From a landline | From a mobile |
|---|---|---|
| 0800, 0808 | free | free |
0800 and 0808 in Ofcom's data
Ofcom lists 7,915 blocks: 4,312 allocated to 251 providers and 3,602 free, protected or quarantined (files of 2026-09-04).
| Range holder | Blocks |
|---|---|
| BT | 3,011 |
| Vodafone Ltd (C&W) | 227 |
| Vodafone Limited | 100 |
| TalkTalk Communications Limited | 78 |
| GCI Network Solutions Limited | 50 |
Example format: 0800 123456. Type any number into the number checker to see its range; paste a message into the scam text checker.
Frequently asked questions
- Is calling 0800 free from a mobile?
- Yes. GOV.UK lists 0800 and 0808 as free from landlines and mobiles.
- Can scammers use 0800 numbers?
- They can fake any number on your caller display. Treat the request, not the number, as the test.
Sources
- Cost: 0800, 0808: GOV.UK, Call charges and phone numbers (costs "approximate"; check with your provider): "0800, 0808 | Freephone service | Free | Free" — https://www.gov.uk/call-charges, read on 2026-09-29
- Numbering plan: Ofcom, The National Telephone Numbering Plan, version with effect from 22 April 2025 (read from the Internet Archive copy of 27 Sep 2026): "080: Non-Geographic Numbers, Free to caller" — https://www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/phones-telecoms-and-internet/information-for-industry/numbering/other/national-numbering-plan.pdf, read on 2026-09-29
- Range data: Ofcom numbering data files S1, S3, S5, S7, S8, S9 (ofcom.org.uk, Download numbering data) as downloaded by Ofcom on 2026-09-04, copied unchanged from the Number::Phone data-files mirror, commit b842859. Ofcom: "We publish data on which UK telephone numbers are available for allocation or are allocated, and aim to update these files every Wednesday." — https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/phone-numbers/numbering-data; mirror: https://github.com/DrHyde/perl-modules-Number-Phone-data-files, read on 2026-09-29
Last updated 2026-09-29. Independent information service. Number data from Ofcom shows the original range holder; numbers can be ported or spoofed. Not affiliated with Ofcom, the FCA, the ICO or any police service.