NHS GP Telephone Numbers: Analysis of call rates

NHS GPs are banned from using telephone numbers that cost more to call than geographic ones, and this has been the case since 1st April 2011. They were given a year (from April 2010) to make any necessary changes so that persons do not pay more.

A Health Minister stated in Parliament:

“It is absolutely clear that there is no distinction between landlines, mobiles or payphones. The directions are very clear that patients should not expect to be charged any more.”

This quashes any suggestion by some parties that the ban doesn’t extend to mobile phones or only applies to certain BT customers.

I have compiled an extensive list of rates charged by various landline, mobile and public payphone operators for calls to geographic, 0845 and 0844 numbers used by surgeries. To download it, follow the link at the bottom of this posting.

This evidence proves beyond reasonable doubt that persons do in fact pay more to ring practices on their 0844 and 0845 numbers.

That is, unless they can demonstrate that persons do not and will never subscribe to all the tariffs I’ve highlighted. I think that the likelihood of this happening is zero.

• Download my paper NHS GP Telephone Numbers: Analysis of Call Rates (PDF | 143kB)

UCAS says 'NO' to those trying to avoid rip-off 41 pence per minute charge to ring Clearing Hotline

UCAS has recently shut off its landline number published by SAYNOTO0870.COM which used to go through to its clearing service¹. It is now answered by a message that redirects to the widely published Premium Rate number, 0871 468 0 468, that costs mobile callers up to 41 pence per minute².

How stupid for UCAS to stop people calling the ordinary number to avoid up to 41 pence per minute charges in order to protect its own subsidy of 8 or 9 pence per minute!!


Further points

• UCAS advises, incorrectly, only the call charge from BT fixed lines³, yet many callers will be ringing from mobile phones and landlines provided by companies other than BT.


• There is a number that UCAS publishes for overseas callers⁴ that is included in mobile and landline packages’ bundled minutes. However, when it is dialled from the UK it won’t allow access to the Customer Service Unit.


• UCAS joins the likes of BSkyB which disables any alternative that is found. And like HMRC, UCAS has moved to block UK calls to geographic/03 alternatives that are given for overseas customers.

Finance helplines

Once they have their place, students will need to speak to the relevant finance body. Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) uses 0300 555 0505, so no alternative is needed!

However, those in the rest of the UK will be given 0845 numbers, and these are all operated by Student Loans Company. Alternatives that get through to the same menu options as their 0845 counterparts are as follows:

• Student Finance England 0845 300 5090 = 0141 243 3600
• Student Finance NI 0845 600 0662 = 0141 243 3591
• Student Finance Wales 0845 602 8845 = 0141 243 3960

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Contact: Dave Lindsay
E-mail: dave {at} saynoto0870 {dot} com | Twitter: @FairTelecoms | Blog: saynoto0870.blogspot.com

Notes to Editors

1. Until recently, the number 01242 545701 went through to the main “Customer Services Unit”. It is now answered with a recording which redirects to the 0871 number and advises that a call from a BT landline will cost no more than 9 pence per minute.


2. T-Mobile charges 41 pence per minute to 0871 numbers and O2, Orange and Vodafone all charge between 35 pence per minute and just under 36 pence per minute on pay monthly packages.


3. UCAS says that calls to its number from a BT landline “cost no more than 9p per minute“. This is incorrect as all such calls attract a 12.5 pence Call Set-up fee in addition to the 9.19 pence per minute call rate. This means that a 10 minute call will cost £1.05 which equates to 10.5 pence for each minute.


4. It publishes +44 330 333 0230 for callers from overseas, but when dialled from within the UK, callers are greeted with a message telling them it is for international callers only.