What Are 0300 Numbers And What Are They Used For - EReceptionist

You might not come across 0300 numbers that often unless you’re calling a helpline or a sub-branch of the NHS. Despite this, 0300 numbers are becoming increasingly important as they help non-profit and government-led organisations to fund and expand networks.

0300 Numbers in a Nutshell

What are 0300 numbers? These non-geographic numbers were introduced by Ofcom in 2007 across the UK. These numbers are usually reserved for non-profit organisations, charities and public support services. For this reason, 0300 numbers cost to call. The profit made by communication charges helps to pay for operator’s wages and other related overheads. Ultimately, 0300 numbers were given to good causes due to these key reasons:

• They’re Inclusive – Much like the common UK freephone number – 0800 numbers – 0300 numbers are non-geographic. They don’t have any affiliation with a specific region or city and are inclusive and approachable to everybody. For this reason, charities such as Mind (a mental health support network) have adopted 0300 numbers for their emergency support phone line.
• They’re Not Free – 0300 numbers cost money to call and that’s the entire point. Often helplines such as the LGBT+ switchboard are volunteer-led yet founders of such organisations strive to be able to give back to the workers in some form of payment or benefit. At the very least, connection costs can help to fund building costs and paid breaks for those who give up their time to help others.
• They’re Affordable – While 0300 numbers need to turn over a small profit, they also need to be cheap enough to avoid cost being a barrier. The affordability of 0300 numbers – usually charged at a standard network rate – allows the prefix to remain inclusive to all types of callers. Since 0300 numbers are used for charitable causes, vulnerable members of society must be able to access them. Ofcom has helped to standardise these costs by stipulating that network providers can’t charge more to call 0300 numbers than regular 01 or 02 lines.
• They’re Memorable – In a time of crisis, it’s important that callers will be able to remember a helpline’s number. Returning to the example of mental health charity, Mind, callers only need to memorise five different digits (and their order). The Mind number is 0300 123 3393. For regular callers, this may mean they won’t even have to research the number ahead of time as it’s possible to memorise these simple digits. Calls can be made impulsively and easily, allowing the service to be as impactful as possible.

What are 0300 Numbers Used For?

By now, you’ll know that 0300 numbers are reserved for public services and non-profit organisations. Profit made from the cost to call 0300 numbers is always reinvested in development or overhead costs. As such, 0300 numbers should not be used by regular businesses that see pound signs as a bonus.

Not everybody can adopt an 0300 number due to these strict criteria. Non-profit organisations are able to apply for 0300 numbers as are domains ending with ‘.nhs.uk’ or similar. Government-led departments may also adopt 0300 numbers when necessary. Ofcom makes the final decision on which organisations are eligible to receive an 0300 number using an internal assessment.

For context, the following UK businesses use 0300 numbers to keep their vital services accessible:

As you can see, 0300 numbers are relevant to a niche audience. The closest prefix that’s suitable to a wider audience is the nation’s freephone number, the 0800 prefix.

This number type has some of the same benefits – being inclusive and memorable – however, it’s also free for the caller, effectively raising your call rates.

So, unless you are looking for a number that’s suitable for non-profits, we suggest learning more about 0800 numbers that are available to buy on an eReceptionist plan.

Have your cake and eat it – adopt an 0800 freephone number. Read the following blogs to get clued up on the nation’s favourite prefix:

• Why You Should Rush to Buy 0800 Numbers That Increase Your Call Volume
• 0800 Numbers to Buy That Appeal to the Modern Consumer
• International Companies and Calling 0800 Numbers Abroad
• Calling a Business: How Much Do 0800 Numbers Cost from Landlines?