What is an example of a UK mobile phone number?

A UK mobile number follows the format 07XXX XXXXXX. For example, Ofcom reserves 07700 900000 to 07700 900999 as fictitious numbers safe to use in publications and testing. A typical real format would be 07911 123456. In international format, drop the leading 0 and add +44, giving +44 7911 123456.

What is a UK phone number with the country code?

The UK country code is +44. To convert a domestic number to international format, remove the leading 0 and prepend +44. For example, 020 7946 0123 becomes +44 20 7946 0123, and 07700 900123 becomes +44 7700 900123. The plus sign can be replaced with 00 in most countries.

UK Phone Number Examples — Mobile, Landline & Special Numbers

Q: What are Ofcom fictitious phone numbers?

Ofcom, the UK communications regulator, reserves specific number ranges that are guaranteed never to be assigned to real users. These fictitious numbers are intended for use in TV shows, films, advertisements, and software testing. They look realistic but will never connect to a real person if dialed.

UK phone numbers follow specific formats depending on their type — mobile, London landline, regional landline, freephone, or premium rate. This guide provides example numbers for each type, including Ofcom's officially reserved fictitious ranges that are safe to use in testing, publications, and media.

UK Number Structure Overview

All UK phone numbers are managed by Ofcom (the Office of Communications) and begin with 0 when dialed domestically. The digit after 0 determines the number type:

01 / 02 — Geographic (landline) numbers
03 — Non-geographic (charged at local rate)
07 — Mobile and personal numbers
08 — Freephone and special services
09 — Premium rate services

The UK country code is +44. When writing a UK number in international format, drop the leading 0 and prepend +44.

Mobile Numbers

UK mobile numbers start with 07 and are 11 digits long. The format is 07XXX XXXXXX.

Ofcom Fictitious Mobile Range: 07700 900000 to 07700 900999 — these numbers are guaranteed never to be allocated to real subscribers and are safe to use in testing and publications.

Type	Domestic Format	International Format
Fictitious mobile	`07700 900123`	`+44 7700 900123`
Fictitious mobile	`07700 900456`	`+44 7700 900456`
Fictitious mobile	`07700 900789`	`+44 7700 900789`
Format example	`07911 123456`	`+44 7911 123456`
Format example	`07456 789012`	`+44 7456 789012`

London Landline Numbers (020)

London uses the area code 020, followed by an 8-digit local number. The format is 020 XXXX XXXX.

Ofcom Fictitious London Range: 020 7946 0000 to 020 7946 0999 — reserved for drama, testing, and publications.

Type	Domestic Format	International Format
Fictitious London	`020 7946 0123`	`+44 20 7946 0123`
Fictitious London	`020 7946 0456`	`+44 20 7946 0456`
Format example	`020 7123 4567`	`+44 20 7123 4567`
Format example	`020 8765 4321`	`+44 20 8765 4321`

Regional Landline Numbers

Outside London, landline numbers use area codes starting with 01 (mostly) or 02 (some cities). The area code length varies — some are 3 digits (like 020), some are 4 (like 0121), and some are 5 (like 01onal). The total number is always 10 or 11 digits including the leading 0.

Ofcom Fictitious Regional Ranges: Each major area code has a reserved range ending in 496 0000 to 496 0999. For example, 0121 496 0000 (Birmingham), 0131 496 0000 (Edinburgh), 0161 496 0000 (Manchester).

UK Area Codes Table

City / Area	Area Code	Example Number	Fictitious Number
London	`020`	`020 7123 4567`	`020 7946 0xxx`
Birmingham	`0121`	`0121 234 5678`	`0121 496 0xxx`
Edinburgh	`0131`	`0131 234 5678`	`0131 496 0xxx`
Glasgow	`0141`	`0141 234 5678`	`0141 496 0xxx`
Liverpool	`0151`	`0151 234 5678`	`0151 496 0xxx`
Manchester	`0161`	`0161 234 5678`	`0161 496 0xxx`
Sheffield	`0114`	`0114 234 5678`	`0114 496 0xxx`
Leeds	`0113`	`0113 234 5678`	`0113 496 0xxx`
Bristol	`0117`	`0117 234 5678`	`0117 496 0xxx`
Nottingham	`0115`	`0115 234 5678`	`0115 496 0xxx`
Leicester	`0116`	`0116 234 5678`	`0116 496 0xxx`
Cardiff	`029`	`029 2012 3456`	`029 2018 0xxx`
Belfast	`028`	`028 9012 3456`	`028 9018 0xxx`
Newcastle	`0191`	`0191 234 5678`	`0191 496 0xxx`
Brighton	`01273`	`01273 234567`	—
Cambridge	`01223`	`01223 234567`	—
Oxford	`01865`	`01865 234567`	—
Bath	`01225`	`01225 234567`	—

Freephone Numbers (0800 / 0808)

Freephone numbers are free to call from both landlines and mobiles in the UK. They start with 0800 or 0808.

Type	Format	Example
Freephone (10 digit)	`0800 XXX XXXX`	`0800 123 4567`
Freephone (11 digit)	`0808 XXX XXXX`	`0808 157 0123`
Fictitious freephone	`0800 XXX XXXX`	`0800 496 0xxx`

Premium Rate Numbers (09XX)

Premium rate numbers start with 09 and charge a per-minute rate or per-call fee. They are used for entertainment services, competitions, and adult content. Calls can cost up to several pounds per minute.

Prefix	Typical Use	Example
`0900`	General premium	`0900 123 4567`
`0906`	Adult services	`0906 123 4567`
`0909`	Entertainment	`0909 123 4567`
`0908 496 0xxx`	Fictitious premium	`0908 496 0123`

International Format (+44)

To call a UK number from abroad:

Drop the leading 0 from the domestic number
Prepend +44 (or 0044 from most countries)

Domestic	International
`020 7946 0123`	`+44 20 7946 0123`
`07700 900456`	`+44 7700 900456`
`0121 496 0789`	`+44 121 496 0789`
`0161 496 0321`	`+44 161 496 0321`
`0800 123 4567`	`+44 800 123 4567`

Frequently Asked Questions

A UK mobile number follows the format 07XXX XXXXXX, such as 07700 900123. The Ofcom-reserved range 07700 900000-900999 provides fictitious numbers safe for testing. In international format, this becomes +44 7700 900123.

The UK country code is +44. To convert any domestic number to international format, drop the leading 0 and add +44. For example, 020 7946 0123 becomes +44 20 7946 0123, and 07700 900123 becomes +44 7700 900123.

Ofcom reserves specific number ranges that will never be assigned to real subscribers. These fictitious numbers are intended for use in TV, film, advertising, and software testing. Key ranges include 020 7946 0xxx (London), 07700 900xxx (mobile), and 496 0xxx within major regional area codes.