Virgin Media customers would still have to pay for the calls so we want an 02 number please!

They are regarded as non geographic and as such incur a charge of 3p per minute plus connection of 7p.

Good news is that it would appear that 03 numbers are now included.  Hope so.

You can reach Flood Line by dialling 029 20245000, option 2. It will put you through to the Floodline. There's the usual lies about the Floodline 0845 number being "local rate" and call to this number being "national rate". 

Folks, a bit less of the mildly agressive sounding and ill informed accusations of 'lies', eh? Reasoned argument & debate using knowledge is surely the civilised approach, not conclusion-jumping and insult hurling! 

First off, the number Dave suggested will connect you to a call centre, but you won't be able to use it to access any of the Floodline quickdial codes directly. So anybody wanting to access their known local floodwarning scheme shortcut will only be slowed down by this, especially during a busy flooding event, quite probably increasing the cost (hopefully only telephonic) to themselves. So fair play to him but I hope this extra info helps adds another piece to the jigsaw.

Floodline was set up as an 0845 number in all good faith by folk seeing to help protect people. The 03, fixed price and inclusive telecoms deals did not exist then, and 0845 was a way to make calling Floodline MORE affordable to most. (Surely you remember the structure of 'national' and 'local' call rates that BT operated? Unless you lived near where the call centre was situated it would have cost more to contact a geographic number than the 0845).

That said, telecoms has moved on and yes, the 03 numbers should be, and are being, looked at. However  a huge amount of public money has been invested in the 0845 number being published, remembered and used by people all over the UK. National, regional and local leaflets, adverts, directory listings, emergency service contact listings, media, etc etc blah blah all now have the 0845 number in circulation. To change that without considering safety first, and the best use of taxpayer's money second would be irresponsible.

I don't live in a flood risk area but, if I was, I know I'd rather effort were concentrated on making sure Floodline provides timely and accurate accessible advice to those in need. rather than subsidising it to such a degree that every UK taxpayer pays more, but the service potentially suffers.

I feel strongly about this because I work in the 'Warning and Informing' field of government comms, and know the real pressures which exist on the service every day. The folk involved (like me, although I don't handle telephony!) aren't commercial rip-off merchants. Mostly we are damned hard-working fairly stressed individuals trying to provide the best service to the end user, for the least expense to the public purse, which is no easy task!

Please, don't lump us in with the 0870 cash-grabbers in the commercial world.

Over and out from me, thanks for listening!

I should point out that no, I don't remember a time when 0845 was local rate and 0870 was national rate (that was a time before I got into telephony and this malarkey ) but the fact that the line is (apparently) still saying that 0845 is local rate is a lie. Plain and simple. I don't think we were "lumping you together" as such - just pointing out that you should not be reporting call cost information incorrectly.

I don't doubt that the number was originally set up in good faith, but (as you agree) times have changed. It is now unfortunately (especially for those calling from a mobile) much more expensive to call an 0845 number than it is to call a normal geographic or UK-wide 03 number. I know that that is a situation outside of the control of the users of 0845 numbers, but I'm sure that it makes pretty logical sense that during a flood, most people will be calling from a mobile and not their landline.

I'm glad to here that the use of an 03 number is being considered. Obviously, as you say, a lot of money has been spent on publicising the 0845 number, but that is no reason to not go ahead with an 03 number. Surely both numbers can be run concurrently, and publicity for the 03 number can overtake that of the 0845 number.

Finally, I'm sure that you guys do a great job and many are grateful for your help and assistance.

Good Evening,

it's clearly been a few years since this post has been commented on, so I thought I'd come here and make a comment.

The Environment Agency (EA) is STILL displaying an 0845 number for it's Flood Line service, despite SayNoTo0870 finding out the 0345 equivalent.

I noticed that the EA has changed a multitude of numbers to 03 alternatives but not this one.

Has anyone been in contact with them over this?

I have also posted regarding it here: http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1354104920/0#6