Free 0300 Calls

Did you know that you shouldn’t be charged for calls to telephone numbers that start with 0300?

That is the same no matter where you are calling from in the UK or whether you are calling from a landline or a mobile phone.

From 1 July 2015 there is a mandatory requirement for mobile and landline providers to treat numbers that begin with 0300 in exactly the same was as they treat telephone numbers that start with either an 01 or an 02, so although 0300 numbers are not geographical numbers  they are charged ( or not charged) at the same rate.

Generally, if you have any inclusive minutes within your mobile or landline package that covers “local” calls then these will be used when you use an 03 telephone number and wont attract any additional costs.

*local rate was actually abolished years ago, but companies like to still use the terms as people understand it

Given that inclusive “local rate” packages are so widely available many large charities and Government Departments / services have adopted 0300 numbers as their preferred method of contact so before making a call to a number that starts with 08 ( that may incur a charge and not be within your inclusive minutes allowance) be sure to check if the organization also has a local rate option that you can use.