The cost of calling banks and government departments is...

Ian011

Some time in the last few weeks, you have probably received a notification from your phone supplier saying that 'the cost of calling banks and government departments is set to become clearer from 1 July 2015'.

The notification usually goes on to say that the cost of calling 084, 087, 09 and 118 numbers is being split into two parts, each separately declared. If you're lucky the message will also inform how much the Access Charge component charged by your phone provider will be.

In some cases, the overall cost of calling 084 and 087 numbers, especially 0845 and 0870, is going up. It is important to note that the cost of calling banks and government departments is NOT going up. Over the last two years most banks have swapped their 0845 lines over to the matching 0345 numbers and most government departments have swapped their 0845 lines over to the matching 0345 numbers or to new 0300 numbers.

Calls to 03 numbers cost the same as calling 01 and 02 numbers and count towards inclusive allowances on landlines and on mobiles.

When the new Ofcom regulations were first discussed in December 2010, numbers such as 0845 were heavily used for customer service lines and by banks and government departments. That is no longer the case.


You're seeing the effect of Regulation 41 of the Consumer Contract Regulations 2013. Since 13 June 2014, retailers traders and passenger transport companies have been required to use 01, 02, 03 or 080 numbers for post sales helplines. Similar regulation will shortly also apply to financial services including banks and insurance companies and ahead of this, most banks have already swapped to 0345 numbers.

You're also seeing the effect of the Cabinet Office guidance published in December 2013 advising government departments, their agencies and other public services "across the wider public sector landscape", i.e. local authorities, to replace 0845 numbers with cheaper numbers. Most of these now use 0300 and 0345 numbers.

From 1 July 2015 all remaining users of 084, 087, 09 and 118 numbers are required to declare their Service Charge everywhere their number is advertised. Those who cannot justify this charge must change their number to stop imposing it. Many are now doing so.



See also
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5219756
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5230983
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5230985

victor2

Got a bee in your bonnet about this? You keep going on at great length about it.
Just proves what most of us suspect/know from experience - Ofcom (and Ofgem) are incapable of organising a social gathering in an establishment where alcoholic drinks are produced...

Ian011

Ofcom have organised something very beneficial: the mass exodus of users from 084 and 087 numbers over to 03 numbers under the guise of making things clearer.

Many businesses do not want to be openly seen to be loading extra charges on to callers. They were happy to do so when the charges were hidden. Now that the Service Charge has to be declared, many businesses have decided to adopt consumer-friendly 03 numbers.

After 1 July, those that persist in ripping off their customers will clearly be seen to be doing so and consumers can elect to take their business elsewhere.