I know these are a problem to find but does anyone have any idea what the geo is for this dept?

Nottingham Benefit Delivery Centre
Padge Road
Nottingham
NG80 8AT

0845 6088528

Anyone able to find an alternative for this at all please?

I wish I could help, but I asked them today and was told this premium number is the only number available!!!!

I advise all who need to call these benefits numbers to write to their MP. More and more MPs are showing an interest in this.

There have been Parliamentary Early Day Motions in previous years, but I don't think there is a suitable one this year.

Will do.  As well as the usual delays in phoning this place, you have to go through all the automated messages first, and keep feeding in coins whilst the statutory regulations (regarding false claims) are read out to you.

Using an 0845 number makes these phone calls cost 15 times more than a normal local call from a BT callbox.*

* BT current price list http://www.serviceview.bt.com/list/public/current/Call_Charges_boo/3545_d0e5.htm#3545-d0e5
Local call = 80p per hour
0845 numbers: £11.89p per hour

Peter_James wrote on Jul 22^nd, 2009 at 3:56pm:

Using an 0845 number makes these phone calls cost 15 times more than a normal local call from a BT callbox.* * BT current price list http://www.serviceview.bt.com/list/public/current/Call_Charges_boo/3545_d0e5.htm#3545-d0e5 Local call = 80p per hour 0845 numbers: £11.89p per hour

By my reckoning it's greater than 15 times.

A local call costs 58 pence per hour and an 0845 one is 1,169 pence which is just over 20 times.

Thank You for pointing that out.  I was going by the price shown on the advert in the phone box.  I was thinking it was 20p for 15 minutes, but I was mistaken, it is 20p for 20 minutes. Which makes the phone calls to the benefit office, for the poorest people who only have a public coin box (if they can find one), even more expensive as you say.

Peter_James wrote on Aug 10^th, 2009 at 12:14pm:

Thank You for pointing that out.  I was going by the price shown on the advert in the phone box.  I was thinking it was 20p for 15 minutes, but I was mistaken, it is 20p for 20 minutes. …

To be exact, it's actually 40 pence for 20 minutes because there is a 40 pence minimum charge.