This is a list of telephone dialling codes in the United Kingdom, which adopts an open telephone numbering plan for its public switched telephone network. The national telephone numbering plan is maintained by Ofcom, an independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries. This list is based on the official standard, but includes defunct codes and historical changes, including the derivation of the two letter identities, in cases where known. [1] [2] [3] Dialling codes do not correspond to specific political boundaries: for example, the Coventry dialling code covers a large area of Warwickshire and the Manchester dialling code covers part or all of several neighbouring towns.
When dialling within the country, all area codes are preceded by the national trunk prefix 0, which has been included in all listings in this article. 0 was traditionally the number dialled for the operator for long-distance calls before subscriber trunk dialling (STD) was introduced, and so was retained as a prefix for direct-dialled calls. In the majority of areas, the area code still corresponds to the original STD letter code. When dialling from abroad, the 0 prefix is not dialled. When dialling within the same area, the area code is not needed, save for a handful of areas that do require this. When calling from a mobile telephone or through a VoIP service, such as BT's 'Digital Voice', the area code is always needed.
Initial digits | Service type |
---|---|
00 | International call prefix |
01 | Geographic area codes since 1995 |
02 | Geographic area codes since 2000 |
03 | Non-geographic numbers charged at geographic rates |
04 | Reserved |
05 | Reserved (previously, corporate numbering and VoIP) |
06 | Reserved |
07 | Mobile telephony, paging services and personal numbering |
08 | Freephone and revenue share non-geographic numbers |
09 | Premium-rate services |
Short codes | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
02x yyyy yyyy [eight-digit local number] | 011x yyy yyyy [seven-digit local number] | 01x1 yyy yyyy [seven-digit local number] | |||
020 to 029 | 0113 to 0119 | 0121 to 0191 | |||
020 |
London
[notes 1]
[4]
[5] (previously 0171 and 0181) [notes 2] (previously 071 and 081) [notes 3] (previously 01) [notes 4] |
||||
0121 | Birmingham (B1) (previously 021) [notes 3] | ||||
023 | Southampton and Portsmouth [notes 5] (previously 01703 and 01705) [notes 2] (previously 0703 and 0705) [notes 3] | 0113 | Leeds (previously 0532) [notes 3] | 0131 | Edinburgh (E1) (previously 031) [notes 3] |
024 | Coventry [notes 6] (previously 01203) [notes 2] (previously 0203) [notes 3] | 0114 | Sheffield (previously 0742) [notes 3] | 0141 | Glasgow (G1) (previously 041) [notes 3] |
0115 | Nottingham (previously 0602) [notes 3] | 0151 | Liverpool (L1) (previously 051) [notes 3] | ||
0116 | Leicester (previously 0533) [notes 3] | 0161 | Manchester (M1) (previously 061) [notes 3] | ||
0117 | Bristol (previously 0272) [notes 3] | 0171 | unused (was Inner London until 2000) (previously 071) [notes 3] (previously 01) [notes 4] | ||
028 | Northern Ireland [notes 7] (previously used multiple 01xxx and 01xxxx area codes until 2000) [notes 2] (previously used multiple 0xxx and 0xxxx area codes until 1995) [notes 3] | 0118 | Reading [notes 8] (previously 01734) [notes 9] (previously 0734) [notes 3] | 0181 | unused (was Outer London until 2000) (previously 081) [notes 3] (previously 01) [notes 4] |
029 | Cardiff [notes 10] (previously 01222) [notes 2] (previously 0222) [notes 3] | 0191 | Wearside (W1), i.e., Tyneside, Sunderland, and Durham [notes 11] (previously 091) [notes 3] |
For an explanation of the two-letter STD codes used below, see Introduction of area codes.
ELNS denotes Extended Linked Numbering Scheme areas, where an area code is associated with more than one place name.
Long codes | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
01xxx [mostly six-digit local numbers] [notes 12] and 01xxxx [mostly five-digit local numbers] [notes 13] (but not 01x1 codes) | |||||
01200 to 01470 | 01471 to 01762 | 01763 to 01999 | |||
|
|
|
01426, 01523 and other non-standard 01 prefixes were briefly used for pagers [8] in the late 1990s and then moved to new 076 prefixes in the Big Number Change in 2000/2001.
In several area codes, a block of 1,000 numbers is set aside for use as fictional numbers for drama. [15] [16]
The length of the area code part and the local number part is found as follows: [17]
Number format | NSN [notes 49] | Geographic area code |
---|---|---|
2+8 only | 10 | 020, 023, 024, 028, 029 |
3+7 only | 10 | 0113, 0114, 0115, 0116, 0117, 0118, 0121, 0131, 0141, 0151, 0161, 0191 |
4+6 only | 10 | All 01xxx area codes from 01200 to 01999 not otherwise mentioned. |
4+6 areas where part of range is assigned as 5+5 | 10 | 01387, 01539 |
4+6 areas where part of range is assigned as mixed 5+5 and 5+4 | 10 or 9 | 01697 |
Mixed 4+6 and 4+5 | 10 or 9 | 01204, 01208, 01254, 01276, 01297, 01298, 01363, 01364, 01384, 01386, 01404, 01420, 01460, 01461, 01480, 01488, 01527, 01562, 01566, 01606, 01629, 01635, 01647, 01659, 01695, 01726, 01744, 01750, 01827, 01837, 01884, 01900, 01905, 01935, 01949, 01963, 01995 |
Mixed 4+6 and 4+5 areas where part of range is assigned as 5+5 | 10 or 9 | 01524, 01768, 01946 |
5+5 only | 10 | 0138 73, 0152 42, 0153 94, 0153 95, 0153 96, 0169 73, 0169 74, 0176 83, 0176 84, 0176 87, 0194 67 |
Mixed 5+5 and 5+4 | 10 or 9 | 0169 77 |
The number format '2+8' refers to, e.g. London, numbers using the (020) xxxx xxxx format. [18]
The number format '5+4' refers to, e.g. Brampton, numbers using the (0169 77) xxxx format. [18]
In the following areas, the area code must be included when dialling local numbers. This enables local numbers to start with 0 or 1 and was introduced to increase the number of available telephone numbers within these areas.
Area code | Area code name | Date effective |
---|---|---|
01202 | Bournemouth (BO2) | 1 November 2012 [6] |
01224 | Aberdeen (AB4) | 1 October 2014 [7] |
01273 | Brighton (BR3) | 1 October 2014 [7] |
01274 | Bradford (BR4) | 1 October 2014 [7] |
01642 | Middlesbrough (MI2) | 1 October 2014 [7] |
01908 | Milton Keynes (WO8) | 1 October 2014 [7] |
Unlike the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man which use the UK area codes 01534, 01481 and 01624, respectively, telephone numbers in British Overseas Territories do not come under the UK telephone numbering plan. Some are within the North American Numbering Plan (NANP). These calls are treated as international calls. Below are the access codes for the overseas territories:
Page 7: '01697 – Brampton should be 0169 77; not 01697'.
Pages 6 and 7 show Brampton examples using 0169 77 and +44 169 77 codes.
Page 20 shows Brampton listed as 0169 77.
This is a list of telephone dialling codes in the United Kingdom, which adopts an open telephone numbering plan for its public switched telephone network. The national telephone numbering plan is maintained by Ofcom, an independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries. This list is based on the official standard, but includes defunct codes and historical changes, including the derivation of the two letter identities, in cases where known. [1] [2] [3] Dialling codes do not correspond to specific political boundaries: for example, the Coventry dialling code covers a large area of Warwickshire and the Manchester dialling code covers part or all of several neighbouring towns.
When dialling within the country, all area codes are preceded by the national trunk prefix 0, which has been included in all listings in this article. 0 was traditionally the number dialled for the operator for long-distance calls before subscriber trunk dialling (STD) was introduced, and so was retained as a prefix for direct-dialled calls. In the majority of areas, the area code still corresponds to the original STD letter code. When dialling from abroad, the 0 prefix is not dialled. When dialling within the same area, the area code is not needed, save for a handful of areas that do require this. When calling from a mobile telephone or through a VoIP service, such as BT's 'Digital Voice', the area code is always needed.
Initial digits | Service type |
---|---|
00 | International call prefix |
01 | Geographic area codes since 1995 |
02 | Geographic area codes since 2000 |
03 | Non-geographic numbers charged at geographic rates |
04 | Reserved |
05 | Reserved (previously, corporate numbering and VoIP) |
06 | Reserved |
07 | Mobile telephony, paging services and personal numbering |
08 | Freephone and revenue share non-geographic numbers |
09 | Premium-rate services |
Short codes | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
02x yyyy yyyy [eight-digit local number] | 011x yyy yyyy [seven-digit local number] | 01x1 yyy yyyy [seven-digit local number] | |||
020 to 029 | 0113 to 0119 | 0121 to 0191 | |||
020 |
London
[notes 1]
[4]
[5] (previously 0171 and 0181) [notes 2] (previously 071 and 081) [notes 3] (previously 01) [notes 4] |
||||
0121 | Birmingham (B1) (previously 021) [notes 3] | ||||
023 | Southampton and Portsmouth [notes 5] (previously 01703 and 01705) [notes 2] (previously 0703 and 0705) [notes 3] | 0113 | Leeds (previously 0532) [notes 3] | 0131 | Edinburgh (E1) (previously 031) [notes 3] |
024 | Coventry [notes 6] (previously 01203) [notes 2] (previously 0203) [notes 3] | 0114 | Sheffield (previously 0742) [notes 3] | 0141 | Glasgow (G1) (previously 041) [notes 3] |
0115 | Nottingham (previously 0602) [notes 3] | 0151 | Liverpool (L1) (previously 051) [notes 3] | ||
0116 | Leicester (previously 0533) [notes 3] | 0161 | Manchester (M1) (previously 061) [notes 3] | ||
0117 | Bristol (previously 0272) [notes 3] | 0171 | unused (was Inner London until 2000) (previously 071) [notes 3] (previously 01) [notes 4] | ||
028 | Northern Ireland [notes 7] (previously used multiple 01xxx and 01xxxx area codes until 2000) [notes 2] (previously used multiple 0xxx and 0xxxx area codes until 1995) [notes 3] | 0118 | Reading [notes 8] (previously 01734) [notes 9] (previously 0734) [notes 3] | 0181 | unused (was Outer London until 2000) (previously 081) [notes 3] (previously 01) [notes 4] |
029 | Cardiff [notes 10] (previously 01222) [notes 2] (previously 0222) [notes 3] | 0191 | Wearside (W1), i.e., Tyneside, Sunderland, and Durham [notes 11] (previously 091) [notes 3] |
For an explanation of the two-letter STD codes used below, see Introduction of area codes.
ELNS denotes Extended Linked Numbering Scheme areas, where an area code is associated with more than one place name.
Long codes | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
01xxx [mostly six-digit local numbers] [notes 12] and 01xxxx [mostly five-digit local numbers] [notes 13] (but not 01x1 codes) | |||||
01200 to 01470 | 01471 to 01762 | 01763 to 01999 | |||
|
|
|
01426, 01523 and other non-standard 01 prefixes were briefly used for pagers [8] in the late 1990s and then moved to new 076 prefixes in the Big Number Change in 2000/2001.
In several area codes, a block of 1,000 numbers is set aside for use as fictional numbers for drama. [15] [16]
The length of the area code part and the local number part is found as follows: [17]
Number format | NSN [notes 49] | Geographic area code |
---|---|---|
2+8 only | 10 | 020, 023, 024, 028, 029 |
3+7 only | 10 | 0113, 0114, 0115, 0116, 0117, 0118, 0121, 0131, 0141, 0151, 0161, 0191 |
4+6 only | 10 | All 01xxx area codes from 01200 to 01999 not otherwise mentioned. |
4+6 areas where part of range is assigned as 5+5 | 10 | 01387, 01539 |
4+6 areas where part of range is assigned as mixed 5+5 and 5+4 | 10 or 9 | 01697 |
Mixed 4+6 and 4+5 | 10 or 9 | 01204, 01208, 01254, 01276, 01297, 01298, 01363, 01364, 01384, 01386, 01404, 01420, 01460, 01461, 01480, 01488, 01527, 01562, 01566, 01606, 01629, 01635, 01647, 01659, 01695, 01726, 01744, 01750, 01827, 01837, 01884, 01900, 01905, 01935, 01949, 01963, 01995 |
Mixed 4+6 and 4+5 areas where part of range is assigned as 5+5 | 10 or 9 | 01524, 01768, 01946 |
5+5 only | 10 | 0138 73, 0152 42, 0153 94, 0153 95, 0153 96, 0169 73, 0169 74, 0176 83, 0176 84, 0176 87, 0194 67 |
Mixed 5+5 and 5+4 | 10 or 9 | 0169 77 |
The number format '2+8' refers to, e.g. London, numbers using the (020) xxxx xxxx format. [18]
The number format '5+4' refers to, e.g. Brampton, numbers using the (0169 77) xxxx format. [18]
In the following areas, the area code must be included when dialling local numbers. This enables local numbers to start with 0 or 1 and was introduced to increase the number of available telephone numbers within these areas.
Area code | Area code name | Date effective |
---|---|---|
01202 | Bournemouth (BO2) | 1 November 2012 [6] |
01224 | Aberdeen (AB4) | 1 October 2014 [7] |
01273 | Brighton (BR3) | 1 October 2014 [7] |
01274 | Bradford (BR4) | 1 October 2014 [7] |
01642 | Middlesbrough (MI2) | 1 October 2014 [7] |
01908 | Milton Keynes (WO8) | 1 October 2014 [7] |
Unlike the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man which use the UK area codes 01534, 01481 and 01624, respectively, telephone numbers in British Overseas Territories do not come under the UK telephone numbering plan. Some are within the North American Numbering Plan (NANP). These calls are treated as international calls. Below are the access codes for the overseas territories:
Page 7: '01697 – Brampton should be 0169 77; not 01697'.
Pages 6 and 7 show Brampton examples using 0169 77 and +44 169 77 codes.
Page 20 shows Brampton listed as 0169 77.