Helpline phone numbers are typically free call or lo call. Helpline numbers that are standard landline or mobile numbers are to be treated with caution, they will cost to call and will show on bills etc. They do not carry an air of authenticity. Premium rate numbers are sometimes used, this will deter a lot of callers. Lo-call numbers are usually included within the caller’s bundle of free minutes on landline or mobile and the cost to the owner of the number are not as high pence per minute as free phone numbers.
0800 NUMBERS
A familiar number format identifying it as a Freephone number.
Free to call from all mobiles and payphones and landlines for the caller although this has only been the case since July 2015.
Price will vary between different telephony platform and software providers.
0800 numbers are subject to the BT payphone access charge of 70 ppm. Members of Helplines Partnership with 0800 numbers maybe be exempt from this as part of a scheme of members numbers which are passed to BT on a monthly basis so that calls from BT payphones to these helplines 0800 numbers are exempt from this charge.
0800 numbers are used by a wide range of services, from charity run helplines to PPI solicitors, from pet food manufacturers to travel agencies.
HELPLINE FREEPHONE RANGE – 0808 80
Helplines Partnership (HLP) offers a dedicated range of freephone numbers that are exclusively available for helplines. HLP is authorised by Ofcom to operate the Helpline Freephone Range (HFR) scheme which provides confidentiality for vulnerable callers and removes cost barriers that could prevent them from accessing helplines.
An 0808 number therefore guarantees the caller is ringing a bona fide helpline which reaches and maintains appropriate levels of customer care. Only members of Helplines Partnership can apply for and use an 0808 80 number.
HFR numbers are guaranteed free to call from landlines and mobile phones within the UK and do not appear on itemised bills.
HRF numbers are exempt from the BT Payphone Access Charge (currently 70p per minute). Many vulnerable callers use payphones to seek support, therefore, a 30 minute call provides the potential saving of £21 to the helpline.
Overall costs of calls to a helpline are significantly reduced against the costs of an 0800 call if the service is provided via one of the four specific providers, BT, Call Handling, The Phone Co-op and Numeric Futures.