Useful Information & Say no to 0870! Hot Topics » Hall of Fame - Public Sector

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Hall of Fame - Public Sector

This page is for public sector organisations only such as the police, local councils and the NHS. Charities and private sector companies are listed on this page.

This “Hall of Fame” lists those bodies who have switched to 03xx “UK-wide” numbers as well as those who have abandoned their 084x and 087x prefixed numbers in favour of either conventional geographical or UK-wide ones. Some organisations have signalled that they have decided to change soon, and they too are listed at the end.

Where a discussion thread exists on the forum for a particular organisation, a link is provided in the form of “[Discussion thread]”. Relevant minutes of meetings and media articles are posted on these threads.


Those using 03xx numbers

Hyperlinks for these organisations go to the relevant page on their website giving their telephone number.

Action Fraud 0300 123 2040
Adjudicator’s Office 0300 057 1111
BBC various 0370 numbers; also BBC Children in Need donation line is now 0345 733 2233
Business Support Wales 0300 060 3000
Census 2011 0300
Communities and Local Government Publications 0300 123 1124
Companies House 0303 1234 500
Consumerline - Consumer advice for Northern Ireland 0300 123 6262
Crossrail 0345 602 3813
Department for Transport 0300 330 3000
Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) 0300 060 4000
Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) 0300 068 6400
Driving Standards Agency - Customer Services 0300 200 1122
DVLA 0300 790 680x
Energy Ombudsman Service 0330 440 1624
Environment Agency 03708 506 506
Financial Ombudsman Service 0300 123 9 123 / 0800 0 234 567
Financial Services Authority (FSA) - Money Made Clear consumer helpline 0300 500 5000
Government Car and Despatch Agency - Government Mail 0300 123 2233 Regional Plus bookings and enquiries.
Highways Agency Information Line 0300 123 5000
HM Courts Service - Payment of Court Fine 0300 790 9901
Homes & Communities Academy (HCA) 0300 1234500
Identity & Passport Service [url=http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1220545230]Discussion thread[/url] 0300 222 0000
Independent Safeguarding Authority 0300 123 1111
JANET 0300 300 2212
Legal Services Commission 0300 200 2020
Loan Shark helpline (North-West, Yorkshire, Central England & the South) 0300 555 2222 Provided by Birmingham City Council
Loan Shark helpline (Wales) 0300 123 3311
Loan Shark helpline (South West) 0300 1234 247 Provided by Bristol City Council
Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) 0300 061 0614
Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service [url=http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1237174551]Discussion thread[/url] 0370 6060699
Northern Ireland Flooding Incident Hotline 0300 2000 100 [url=http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1233593474]Discussion thread[/url]
Ofcom 0300 123 3000
Office of the Public Guardian 0300 456 0300
Ofqual 0300 303 3344

OTELO (Office of the Telecommunications Ombudsman) [url=http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1208620059]Discussion thread[/url] 0330 440 1614
Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman [url=http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1219787474]Discussion thread[/url] 0345 015 4033
Passenger Focus 0300 123 2350
Remploy Job Seekers - Branch Offices 0300 456 80xx
TV Licensing 0300 790 6071
UK Border Agency - Sponsorship and Employers' helpline 0300 123 4699
Welsh Assembly Government 0300 060 3300
VOSA (Vehicle and Operator Services Agency) [url=http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1220545751]Discussion thread[/url] 0300 123 9000

Health Bodies

Adelaide GP Surgery 0300 123 6066
Brighton and Hove City PCT Dental Helpline 0300 1000 899
British Medical Association (BMA) - askBMA 0300 123 123 3
Care Quality Commission 03000 616161
Coventry NHS Healthcare and Walk-in Centre 0300 200 0060
Department of Health Orderline 0300 123 1002
Department of Health Social Care Careers 0300 123 1100
East and North Hertfordshire PCT Out of hours GP service 03000 333333
Greater Manchester NHS Clinical Assessment & Treatment Service 0333 200 4078
Harbourside Family Practice 0300 300 0029
Linkway Medical Practice 0300 555 0123
National Blood Service 0300 123 23 23
NHS Careers 0345 60 60 655
NHS Change4Life 0300 1234567
NHS Choose and Book 0345 608 8888
NHS County Durham and NHS Darlington Out of hours GP service 0300 111 0 111
NHS Cumbria Patient Advice & Liaison Services (PALS) 0300 123 9006
NHS Dudley Out of hours GP service
NHS East Sussex Downs and Weald and NHS Hastings and Rother Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) 0300 1000 891
NHS Herefordshire Out of hours service 0330 123 9303
NHS Hillingdon Out of Hours 0300 130 3018
NHS Leicestershire County & Rutland - Be Healthy Be Heard membership line 0300 555 5345
NHS North of Tyne Out of hours GP service 0300 123 4343 Provided by Northern Doctors Urgent Care (NDUC)
NHS Stressline 0300 123 2000
NHS Stoke-on-Trent 0300 123 09xx
NHS Summary Care Records 0300 123 3020
NHS Warwickshire Diarrheoa Hotline 0300 130 3050
Nottinghamshire County Teaching Primary Care Trust 0300 300 1234
Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services (CAMHS) 0300 300 0022
POhWER 0300 456 2370
Sefton PCT - Healthy Sefton 0300 100 1000
Somerset Local Involvement Network (LINk) [url=http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1182262183/129#129]Discussion thread[/url] 0300 111 0102
South Staffordshire PCT Out of hours GP service 0300 1303030 Provided by Harmoni

Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust - Mental Health Crisis Helpline - 0300 456 83 42
Sutton and Merton PCT - Dental helpline 0300 1000 898
Thames Valley & Chiltern Air Ambulance Trust 0300 999 0135
University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust 0300 303 1573
Urgent Care Cambridgeshire 0330 123 9131
West Sussex Primary Care Trust - Out of hours GP service 0300 130 1313 Provided by Harmoni
West Yorkshire Urgent Care Services 0345 605 99 99
Wiltshire PCT - Kennet, North & West Wilts Out of hours service 0300 111 5717 Provided by Wiltshire Medical Services
Worcestershire PCT - Out of hours service 0300 123 3211 Provided by Take Care Now (TCN)


Local Authorities/Organisations

2010 Rotherham 0300 100 2010
Bedfordshire Carers Helpline [url=http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1222770412]Discussion thread[/url] 0300 01234 35
Bexley Council: Council tax and housing benefits 0345 302 2317
Cambridgeshire County Council [url=http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1236797421]Discussion thread[/url] 0345 045 5200
Central Bedfordshire Council [url=http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1215190177]Discussion thread[/url] 0300 300 8000
Cheshire East Council [url=http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1228949070]Discussion thread[/url] 0300 123 5500
Cheshire West and Chester Council 0300 123 8 123
Cornwall Council [url=http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1215439611]Discussion thread[/url] 0300 1234 100
Dale and Valley Homes 0300 200 0194
Derby City Council - Council Tax enquiries 0333 200 6900
Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council 0300 555 2345
Dumfries & Galloway Council 030 33 33 3000
Durham County Council 0300 123 7070
East Dunbartonshire Council 0300 123 4510
East Sussex County Council [url=http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1236478394]Discussion thread[/url] 0345 60 80 190
Halton Borough Council 0303 333 4300
Hertfordshire County Council 0300 123 4040
Isle of Anglesey County Council Tax Payments 0300 123 0800
Lancashire County Council - Help Direct 0303 333 1111
Manchester City Council Housing On Call 03000 112211
New Directions Reading 0345 842 0012
Newcastle & Sunderland Neighbourhood helpline [url=http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1205668398]Discussion thread[/url] 0300 1000 101
Norfolk County Council 0344 800 8020 [url=http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1218462992]Discussion thread[/url]
North Tyneside Council 0345 2000 101
Northamptonshire County Council - Register Offices 0300 126 1010
Northern Ireland Housing Executive 0344 892 0900

Norwich City Council 0344 980 3333 [url=http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1214913255]Discussion thread[/url]
Nottinghamshire County Council - Social Care Services, out of hours emergency team - 0300 456 4546
Scottish Borders Council 0300 100 1800
Shropshire Council [url=http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1215437022]Discussion thread[/url] 0345 678 9000
South Ayrshire Council 0300 123 0900
South Oxfordshire District Council - Recycling & Waste Collection 03000 610 610
South Tyneside Homes 0300 123 6633
Southsea Town Council 0300 0300 113
Staffordshire County Council 0300 111 8000
Staffordshire Moorlands District Council 0345 605 301x
Stockport College - Course enquiries 0300 300 0090
Surrey County Council 03456 009 009
West Midlands Pension Fund 0300 111 1665
Wiltshire Council [url=http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1219599859]Discussion thread[/url] 0300 456 0100
Worthing Borough Council - Telephone payments 0300 123 6002 Also for Adur District Council payments
Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority 0300 456 0030


Police

British Transport Police 0300 123 2211
Cambridgeshire Constabulary 0345 456 456 4
Cambridgeshire Police Authority 0300 333 3456
Derbyshire Constabulary 0345 123 3333
Durham Constabulary 0345 6060 365
Essex Police 0300 333 4444
Lincolnshire Police 0300 111 0300
Metropolitan Police 0300 123 1212
Northamptonshire Police 03000 111 222
Northumbria Police 03456 043 043
Nottinghamshire Police 0300 300 9999
NPIA (National Police Improvement Agency): Child Rescue Alert 0300 2000 333
Staffordshire Police 0300 123 4455
Tayside Police 0300 111 2222
West Mercia Constabulary 0300 333 3000
West Midlands Police 0345 113 5000

West Yorkshire Police's published non-emergency number is 0845 606 0606. However, it has brought 0345 606 0606 into service and this runs in parallel with the 0845 number. The 0345 number remains unpublicised.

Those who have abandoned 084x/087x numbers in favour of 01/02/Freephone

Discussion threads contain links to minutes of meetings and other relevant pages showing the change of telephone number(s).

Basildon University Hospital
Green Lanes Surgery, Enfield
Hastings Borough Council [url=http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1200968083]Discussion thread[/url] Having switched to 0845 numbers previously, it is now in the process of changing back to geographicals.
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust [url=http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1242382621]Discussion thread[/url]
Leeds City Council [url=http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1208889934]Discussion thread[/url] Having adopted 0845 numbers in 2006, it has now switched back to geographicals.
Mid Essex Hospital NHS Trust [url=http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1270031003/4#4]Discussion here[/url]
NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly PCT
Otterfield NHS Medical Centre
Redcar & Cleveland Council [url=http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1205870753]Discussion here[/url] Changed from 0845 to geographical
Salisbury House Surgery, Leighton Buzzard (used to be 0844)
Scottish Parliament
Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council
South Northamptonshire Council - The old number, 0845 230 0226, is no longer published.
The Limes Surgery, Margate

Reserved for future use.

I think this is a great idea as it enables us to use it as a point of reference, it will be very useful, when dealing with "bad" public sector organisations, to be able to direct them to a list of "good" ones.   Is there any scope for a resume of WHY 084X & 087X numbers are inappropriate for use by the public sector?   It would then mean the same arguments (updated as necessary) are advanced to all these organisations when we are trying to "persuade" them to behave properly!

Another one to add - the Royal Blind donation line - 0300 321 0300 (http://www.royalblind.org/index/33/Donate-by-telephone.html). I think this is the first public sector organisation that I've seen with a public advertising campaign using an 0300 number. I actually had to rewind the video I was watching to check I hadn't misread the number...!

jgxenite wrote on Dec 30^th, 2008 at 4:33pm:

Another one to add - the Royal Blind donation line - 0300 321 0300 (http://www.royalblind.org/index/33/Donate-by-telephone.html). I think this is the first public sector organisation that I've seen with a public advertising campaign using an 0300 number. I actually had to rewind the video I was watching to check I hadn't misread the number...!

Done.

A rather nice press release from University Hospitals Leicester here.

It includes a worthy repeatable quotation - "We listened and learned and we’ve ditched 0844."

JANET(UK), the organisation that oversees the JANET educational network, has changed from 0870 numbers to 0300 numbers - http://www.ja.net/services/contact.html#ServiceDesk

Scottish Borders Council now has a 0300 number:

http://www.scotborders.gov.uk/news/26075.html

Scottish Parliament has changed from a 0845 number and now publishes both 0131 and 0800 numbers for contact from the public.

Might there be a "Hall of Horror" Sticky thread as well for those who continue to fail?

Andrew_S_Hatton wrote on Mar 31^st, 2010 at 10:07am:

Might there be a "Hall of Horror" Sticky thread as well for those who continue to fail?

There is a Hall of Shame which is linked to at the top of this thread. It is not stickied because we can't have too many stickied threads because it will leave less room on the first index page for normal threads.

Staffordshire County Council is now in the Hall of Fame with 0300 111 8000:

http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/news/launchofnewnumber.htm

Sorry if this has already been mentioned but the Highways Agency now have an 03 Number - 0300 123 5000 as noted here: http://www.highways.gov.uk/aboutus/2304.aspx and here: https://nds.coi.gov.uk/Content/detail.aspx?NewsAreaId=2&ReleaseID=413781&Subject

Just thought I'd mention it...

8-)

CJT-80 wrote on Jun 21^st, 2010 at 6:51pm:

Sorry if this has already been mentioned but the Highways Agency now have an 03 Number - 0300 123 5000 as noted here: http://www.highways.gov.uk/aboutus/2304.aspx and here: https://nds.coi.gov.uk/Content/detail.aspx?NewsAreaId=2&ReleaseID=413781&Subject Just thought I'd mention it... 8-)

http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1276810737   ;)

Dave wrote on Aug 12^th, 2008 at 7:24pm:

South Oxfordshire District Council - Recycling & Waste Collection 03000 061 061

Hello Mods, Can the URL for this link please be changed to the Councils new contact webpage for that department which is: http://www.southoxon.gov.uk/ccm/content/cmt/contact-us/contact-waste-and-recycling.en also the replacement phone number is now 03000 610610. Feel free to delete this post once the reqd. updates are made. Many thanks.

Budget_Caller wrote on Jul 13^th, 2010 at 12:16pm:

Dave wrote on Aug 12th, 2008 at 7:24pm: South Oxfordshire District Council - Recycling & Waste Collection 03000 061 061 Hello Mods, Can the URL for this link please be changed to the Councils new contact webpage for that department which is: http://www.southoxon.gov.uk/ccm/content/cmt/contact-us/contact-waste-and-recycling.en also the replacement phone number is now 03000 610610. Feel free to delete this post once the reqd. updates are made. Many thanks.

Hi and welcome to SAYNOTO0870.COM. Thanks for that; I've updated it as you suggested.  :)

South East Water

Just received my latest bill, the payment has gone up :(  but they have changed from 0845/0800 numbers to 0333 numbers  :)

Customer Service was 0845 301 0845   now 0333 000 001
24hr emergency line was 0845 602 1724   now 0333 000 0365
Leak line   was 0800 028 3399   now   -333 000 3330
Automated payment line was  0800 923 0351   now  0333 000 0247

reserved wrote on Mar 4^th, 2011 at 10:57am:

South East Water ... have changed from 0845/0800 numbers to 0333 numbers

The beginning of an 18 month transition process is announced on 21 February 2011.

SilentCallsVictim wrote on Mar 4^th, 2011 at 1:06pm:

The beginning of an 18 month transition process is announced on 21 February 2011.

All the numbers I have listed are shown on the new bills "popping" through letter boxes now!

SilentCallsVictim wrote on Mar 4^th, 2011 at 1:06pm:

reserved wrote on Mar 4th, 2011 at 10:57am: South East Water ... have changed from 0845/0800 numbers to 0333 numbers The beginning of an 18 month transition process is announced on 21 February 2011.

Well that would make sense as they have NOT bothered to update the Contact Us page with the revised numbers. I will however note on my parents SE Water bill the new number.

18 months to update numbers seems a VERY long time!

reserved wrote on Mar 4^th, 2011 at 1:50pm:

All the numbers I have listed are shown on the new bills "popping" through letter boxes now!

I wondered if the suggestion of a lengthy transition might explain why the contact web page has not yet been updated. (I spotted this when searching to see how the cost of calling the new numbers was being described - there have been some real howlers!)

If all customers receive the same documents with the new numbers, then obviously the process has been completed earlier than announced.

Noting that there are still two distinct service operations following the merger with Mid Kent, one wonders if these are to be combined under a new number. It could be that the transfer over to a new single contact centre will be progressive.

SilentCallsVictim wrote on Mar 4^th, 2011 at 3:19pm:

reserved wrote on Mar 4th, 2011 at 1:50pm: All the numbers I have listed are shown on the new bills "popping" through letter boxes now! I wondered if the suggestion of a lengthy transition might explain why the contact web page has not yet been updated. (I spotted this when searching to see how the cost of calling the new numbers were being described - there have been some real howlers!) If all customers receive the same documents with the new numbers, then obviously the process has been completed earlier than announced.

Pont noted SCV.  :)

Regarding the "incorrect" statements for 03 numbers, I recently contacted an ISP who stated 0345 numbers were charged at "Local Rates" - The colleague who e-mailed me back was happy to be informed of Ofcom's statement regarding these numbers as being "standard geographic charges" which is a better way of advising it. He informs me they will update the site.

:)

I've added Census 2011 to the Public Sector Hall of Fame.