Understanding UK Number Types
01 / 02 Geographic
Traditional landline numbers tied to a specific area. 020 = London, 0161 = Manchester, 0121 = Birmingham. Can be spoofed by scammers, so a local-looking number doesn't guarantee a local caller.
07 Mobile Numbers
All UK mobile numbers start with 07. 07700–07999 covers virtually all UK mobile network prefixes. 070 personal numbers are non-mobile and often premium rate – these are frequently used in wangiri/missed-call scams.
08 Service Numbers
0800 and 0808 are freephone (free from mobile and landline). 0844, 0845, 0870 are non-geographic and can be expensive. Always check the rate before calling back an 08 number.
09 Premium Rate
Always high cost – can be £1–£3 per minute or more. Legitimate uses exist (competitions, some helplines) but this prefix is heavily associated with scam call-back operations. Search before you dial.
Area Code Reference Table
| Prefix | Area / City | Type | Notes | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 020 | London | Geographic | Most frequently spoofed UK area code | Search |
| 0121 | Birmingham | Geographic | Second-largest UK city by population | Search |
| 0161 | Manchester | Geographic | Covers Manchester city and immediate area | Search |
| 0113 | Leeds | Geographic | West Yorkshire's main area code | Search |
| 0114 | Sheffield | Geographic | South Yorkshire | Search |
| 0115 | Nottingham | Geographic | East Midlands | Search |
| 0116 | Leicester | Geographic | East Midlands | Search |
| 0117 | Bristol | Geographic | South West England | Search |
| 0118 | Reading | Geographic | Berkshire | Search |
| 0131 | Edinburgh | Geographic | Scotland's capital | Search |
| 0141 | Glasgow | Geographic | Scotland's largest city | Search |
| 0151 | Liverpool | Geographic | Merseyside | Search |
| 0191 | Newcastle / Sunderland | Geographic | Tyne and Wear | Search |
| 023 | Southampton / Portsmouth | Geographic | Hampshire coast | Search |
| 024 | Coventry | Geographic | West Midlands | Search |
| 028 | Northern Ireland | Geographic | All of Northern Ireland uses 028 | Search |
| 029 | Cardiff | Geographic | Welsh capital | Search |
| 01202 | Bournemouth | Geographic | Dorset coast | Search |
| 01273 | Brighton | Geographic | East Sussex | Search |
| 01382 | Dundee | Geographic | Eastern Scotland | Search |
| 01224 | Aberdeen | Geographic | North East Scotland | Search |
| 07xxx | UK Mobile | Mobile | All UK mobile networks. 070 personal numbers are premium rate. | Search |
| 0800 | Freephone | Freephone | Free from UK mobiles and landlines since 2015 | Search |
| 0808 | Freephone | Freephone | Same as 0800 – free from all UK phones | Search |
| 0300 | Non-geographic – public sector | Non-Geo | Government, NHS, charities. Rates same as local calls. | Search |
| 0345 | Non-geographic – business | Non-Geo | Popular with banks, HMRC, utilities. Included in call bundles. | Search |
| 0370 | Non-geographic – business | Non-Geo | Similar to 0345. Often used by large organisations. | Search |
| 0844 | Non-geographic – rate varies | Non-Geo | Not always in call bundles. Can be up to 7p/min access charge. | Search |
| 0845 | Non-geographic – "local rate" | Non-Geo | Often not included in bundles. Can cost significantly from mobiles. | Search |
| 0870 | Non-geographic – national rate | Non-Geo | Expensive from most mobiles. Not in call bundles typically. | Search |
| 09xxx | Premium rate | Premium | £1–£3/min or more. Always look up before calling back. | Search |
| 070 | Personal numbering | Premium | Up to 65p/min. Frequently used in missed-call / wangiri scams. | Search |
| 03 | Non-geographic – any UK region | Non-Geo | 03 numbers must be included in call bundles if 01/02 numbers are. | Search |
