I am not wealthy enough to have a landline - and so I have a 3 mobile phone with 500 mins and 1Gb internet.

I have had to call several 0800 numbers recently and i have found that the cheapest way to do this is to use Skype via the internet on my phone. The most i was charged was 2p per min. Fine.

In the last 2 days i've had to call the 0845 'benefits line' several times - and find that they can take over an hour to answer or they just cut you off without answering after 35 minutes.
Skype seemed the cheapest way to call this number - but they still charge around 10p per min.
I've burned though nearly 2 days living expenses on these phone calls!!

Is there a cheaper way for me to call this number?

(Using the phone at the Jobcenter is fine - but the return bus fare is between 5 and 9 pounds! - and it takes half a day - making it difficult to look for a job!)

I am ringing the benefits line because i need the money - and do not have any to throw away on these phone calls -
so ... any advice appreciated.

The Skype website says that UK "Toll Free" numbers cost 0ppm, with no connection charge. UK "freephone" numbers begin 0800 and 0808, with a few still in use on the 0500 prefix.

It is possible to call freephone numbers from inclusive minutes on your mobile using a 01, 02 or 03 dial-through number. A couple of examples are 0800Buster and 020 0222 0900. Once the call answers, enter the destination number (but make sure that you don't press the Call button after doing this else it will set-up the call via your provider).

The range numbers 0808 80x are free to call from the main mobile providers, including 3. This is via an arrangement with the Helplines Association, but only certain helplines qualify for such a number. For example, NSPCC has 0808 800 5000.


Calls to 0845 numbers made via Skype Pay As You Go United Kingdom cost a one-off 6.9p charge plus 9.2ppm. Durations are rounded up to the next full minute, so any part-minute will be charged as a full minute.

18185.co.uk is a service that you register with. It is a dial-though provider which is accessible via 020 and 0808 numbers. The call charges via these numbers are published here. A call to a 0845 number will cost 5p plus 3ppm at all times (as with Skype, for billing purposes, durations are rounded up to the next whole minute). Obviously, you will be billed by your phone operator as well (if applicable) for the call to the 020 or 0808 number, and this will be until you hang up (i.e. at the end of the call to the 0845 number).

With 18185 you tell it which number(s) you call from. If your Skype account has a UK phone number (one which it presents on the recipient's caller display, which can apparently be your mobile number), then you might be able to use Skype to call via the 0808 number. Or you could call via the 020 number (with calls to the 020 coming from your minutes). With both these possibilities, 18185 will charge 5p plus 3ppm for 0845 calls.

Sipgate charges 3ppm to call 0845 numbers. It says that there are no minimum charges and calls are "billed on a per minute basis". It doesn't seem to say whether it rounds durations up to the next whole minute which, if it does, means that the minimum cost of a call is the first minute. Either way, it is still the cheapest way of calling 0845 numbers out of those providers I've looked at here. And the prices for 0844 and 0871 are also a bit cheaper than BT's, and this is going some as you can't normally beat BT's due to regulation on it which forces it to charge a very low price for these ranges. ("Very low price" is in relation to the cost of these ranges only, and not relative to calls in general.)

giffgaff offers free calls to freephone numbers.


I've never used Sipgate and I don't have any interest in it, but it does seem to offer very favourable prices.

There are people on here who are far more knowledgeable than I when it comes to finding the cheapest rates, so I put the challenge to them to better what I've suggested.

I would recommend using the 18185 service as described by David.

To use Sipgate on your mobile you would need an i phone or android phone and download the appropriate app.

Freephone numbers beginning 0808 80x xxxx are free from a mobile.


Certain DWP numbers are also supposed to be free from mobiles:
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/previous-administration-news/press-releases/2010/january-2010/dwp007-150110.shtml

Orange have supposedly actioned it:
http://orange.co.uk/dwp/
Don't know about any other networks.

catj wrote on Jan 12^th, 2013 at 10:05pm:

Freephone numbers beginning 0808 80x xxxx are free from a mobile. Certain DWP numbers are also supposed to be free from mobiles: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/previous-administration-news/press-releases/2010/january-2010/dwp007-150110.shtml Orange have supposedly actioned it: http://orange.co.uk/dwp/ Don't know about any other networks.

3 were not part of the agreement.

(I am not sure why we are bothering the op has never returned since posting. :o )

Thanks for all the advice.

I have tried 18185 and this seems okay - but it's still not free.
(and calls this week have been answered within 15mins - so not quite as expensive anyway.)

Thanks again

k.smith wrote on Jan 17^th, 2013 at 2:29am:

Thanks for all the advice. I have tried 18185 and this seems okay - but it's still not free. (and calls this week have been answered within 15mins - so not quite as expensive anyway.) Thanks again

You did ask for the cheapest way. ;)

The only way your get the 0845 call at no extra cost from your 3 mobile is to find the alternative geographical number .You havent told us what this is or where your calling.Have you looked at database for an alternative ?

k.smith wrote on Jan 17^th, 2013 at 2:29am:

I have tried 18185 and this seems okay - but it's still not free.

I strongly doubt you will ever find such a service because the operator would be making a loss.

The only way of a 0845 call being included in the package (bundled minutes), whereby the incidental cost of the call is zero, would be if the provider of your telephone allowed it. If there are such mobile providers out there then they are few and far between and you may end up paying more than your current 3 service anyway.