Area Codes
Area codes in the UK identify geographic regions (e.g., 020 for London, 0161 for Manchester) and are dialled before local numbers. Non-geographic codes include:
- 0300/0330: Government and public services, charged at standard rates.
- 0800/0808: Freephone numbers, free to call from landlines and mobiles.
- 084/087: Shared-cost numbers, with varying rates depending on the service.
- 09: Premium-rate numbers, often for competitions or adult services, cost up to £3.60 per minute.
- 03: Inclusive-rate numbers, charged at standard landline/mobile rates.
These codes are regulated by Ofcom to ensure fair usage and transparency.