New to this excellent forum. Over the past year I have been signed off from work with a medical condition. I get most of my calls free with my Sky package, but have to pay for calls to mobiles, (which I rarely do anyway) and 0845. Just recently, Sky added calls to 0870 numbers free which is a step forward (..well done Sky!) However, 0845 calls remain chargeable.

Government departments, Job Centre Plus offices still use only 0845 numbers. As if I have enough stress to contend with, it really makes me angry and frustrated when I need to contact my local Job Centre processing office elsewhere in my county urgently to find out why my benefit has not been paid etc etc. I have no choice than to stay on the 0845 number with irritating and repetitive electronic music blaring through the earpiece of my phone, whilst my telephone bill mounts up. The government should strongly give thought to those who are those who are worse off than me, and switch to freephone numbers, instead of creating revenue from those who are on benefits and experiencing financial difficulty.  

BT is limited by regulation on the margin it can take on calls to 0845 numbers. It is therefore able to offer them cheaply and include them in packages with only a relatively modest addition to the package price. Other providers reflect their costs in paying the revenue share more directly.

Taking advantage of this fact may be helpful for any specific caller, however it is wrong for Government Departments to effecftively deny those who use their services the opportunity to choose whatever telephone service best suits them without incurring a penalty when calling them. DWP is effectively acting as a marketing agent for BT!


The inclusion of calls to 0870 numbers in packages is a proper and expected reaction to the changes that came into effect on 1 August 2009, when revenue sharing ceased. Sky has done this a little late, BT did it early although it only adjusted its rates for calling at the appropriate time. Others are still charging a premium and excluding from packages with no justification whatsoever. The congratulations due to Sky should be muted as this change is really only removing a rip off, furthermore it is done at relatively little cost as it is only those who have not got around to sorting themselves out who are still using 0870 numbers.

Hi all..just came across this site recently, although i think i used to use it years ago when there were too many of these numbers about. Well we're at that time again when they're are too many! I have an 0845 number that I have to use for work..it is a Hospital Number and they are part of the NHS. I need this number to ring for work..so in theory you're getting charged for working!! Yes i know strange..The number is an 0845 number. I have heard that you can use the international code for Britain 44 then a number as an alternative? Is that true? Hope someone can help

Thanks