// 0800 freephone
0800 numbers for small business
An 0800 number is free for your customers to call and instantly signals an established, trustworthy business. LineHQ forwards your 0800 line to any phone, with recording and voicemail-to-email built in.
// the short answer
An 0800 number is free for customers to call from UK mobiles and landlines. The business pays for the received call, which makes 0800 useful for sales, enquiries and support where you want to remove caller cost as a barrier. LineHQ forwards your 0800 line to your chosen phone or team.
Last reviewed July 2026
Free for callers
Customers call your 0800 number free from UK landlines and mobiles — removing a barrier to picking up the phone.
Builds instant trust
A freephone number makes a small business look larger and more established, lifting response rates on ads and packaging.
Rings your phone
Your 0800 line forwards to whichever phone you choose, so you can answer freephone calls from anywhere.
Recording & voicemail
Record calls for quality and training, and never miss an enquiry with voicemail-to-email.
Built for enquiries
Use 0800 when making the call free for customers should improve response from ads, print, vans or support pages.
0800 vs 0333 vs local numbers
| 0800 | 0333 | Local 01/02 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caller cost | Free from UK landlines and mobiles | Standard 01/02 rate, usually in bundles | Standard local/landline rate |
| Best for | Consumer enquiries and campaigns | National sales and support | Local services and city trust |
| Business cost | Business pays freephone inbound cost | Forwarding and package usage | Forwarding and package usage |
| Next step | Choose 0800 when call volume can justify the extra cost | Choose 0333 for fair national positioning | Choose local when area trust matters |
A free-to-caller number can help when the call is worth more than the extra inbound cost.
Frequently asked questions
Who pays for 0800 calls?
Calls to 0800 numbers are free for the person calling from UK landlines and mobiles. As the business, you pay a small per-minute rate for the calls you receive and forward.
Can I get an 0800 number and keep my mobile?
Yes. Your 0800 number sits in front of your existing phones and forwards calls to them — there’s nothing to install.
Are 0800 numbers good for small businesses?
They’re ideal when you want customers to call without hesitation — sales lines, enquiries and support — because the call is free to them and the number looks professional.
How much does an 0800 number cost to set up?
An 0800 number is included with a LineHQ package, which start at £4.99 a month with no setup fee and no contract. You then pay a small per-minute rate from your prepaid wallet for the freephone calls you receive and forward — because 0800 calls are free to the caller, the business covers the cost of the call.
Are 0800 numbers free to call from mobiles?
Yes. Since 2015, calls to 0800 numbers have been free for the person calling from UK mobiles as well as landlines. That removes any hesitation about the cost of ringing you, which is why freephone numbers tend to lift response rates on adverts, packaging and websites.
Can I port my existing 0800 number to LineHQ?
Yes. Most existing 0800 freephone numbers can be ported across to LineHQ for free, so you keep the number your customers already know. It carries on working throughout the transfer and switches to LineHQ’s forwarding on completion, typically within a couple of weeks.
Can I record and screen calls to my 0800 number?
Yes. An 0800 line gets the same call handling as every LineHQ number: optional recording with a spoken consent prompt, voicemail-to-email, a virtual receptionist, and a spam-call blocklist so nuisance callers can’t quietly run up your freephone minutes. It all forwards to whichever phone you choose.
Can I port an existing 0800 number to LineHQ?
Yes. Most 0800 numbers can be ported to LineHQ if the current account details match. Keep the existing service active until the port has completed.
Is 0800 worth it for a small business?
0800 is worth considering when calls are high-value, customers may hesitate to ring, or the number appears on ads, vans, packaging or offline campaigns.
Ready when you are
Set up a professional UK line in minutes. From £4.99/mo, no contract, cancel anytime.