At The Answering Service, we believe everybody should know the most important phone numbers, especially in case of an emergency.

Look through our list of the 10 most important UK telephone numbers to call, and one surprise!

How many numbers in a UK phone number?

UK telephone numbers can vary in length, but the majority are 11 digits long.

The structure of a UK telephone number is:

  • Trunk code: 0 – when calling from within the UK.
  • Area code: This can be 2, 3, 4, or 5 digits after the initial 0.
  • Subscriber number: The main part of the phone number, usually 5 to 8 digits in length.

For example, a London phone number looks something like this: 020 1234 5678.

When calling a UK number in the international format, you replace the ‘0’ at the beginning with ‘+44’. As an example, when calling the above London telephone number from another country, you would type +44 20 1234 5678.

1. 999 (Emergency)

First introduced in London in 1937, 999 is the world’s oldest emergency telephone number. Calling this number will take you through to your available emergency services: police, fire or ambulance.

Once you’ve selected the relevant emergency service option, you’ll then speak to a call agent who’ll take your details and talk you through the situation.

Did you know that you can call 999 even if your phone is locked, has no SIM card or credit? If you dial the number without any signal, your phone will seek a nearby network to connect the call.

2. 999+55 (Silent Solution)

The Silent Solution option was introduced to allow people to seek police assistance, but are unable to speak at the time of the call.

Here’s how it works:

  • Dial 999 and wait for the operator to ask you questions.
  • If you cannot respond, you’ll be asked a couple more questions.
  • At this stage, you can type 55 into the keypad.
  • This confirms it’s an emergency and you’ll be forwarded to the police.
  • They’ll know it’s a silent call and will respond to the situation in the best way possible.

3. 111 (NHS 24/7)

You can call 111 if you have an urgent medical issue that’s not an emergency. For example, if your child is having difficulty with their asthma but you’re managing it at home with inhalers, and you feel they need to see a medical professional, you can call 111.

Of course, if your child is seriously struggling to breathe, this is an emergency, and you should contact 999 and request the ambulance service.

With 111, you can receive a lot of assistance. Depending on your situation, you can receive a call back from a nurse, be given an out-of-hours appointment, or be escalated to require an ambulance.

4. 101 (Police non-emergency)

101 is a non-emergency phone number where you can report certain crimes to police, like if you suspect somebody of dealing drugs. You can also call this number for police assistance if you’ve been in a road traffic accident, your car has been stolen, or your property has been vandalised.

5. 116 123 (Samaritans)

Samaritans is a fantastic organisation that offers people a safe place to talk. Founded in 1953, it’s designed to help people in distress.

For example, 1 in 4 phone calls the Samaritans received in 2023 contained suicidal feelings. Around 23,000 people volunteered a total of 900,000 hours to answer calls and provide support for people in need.

Samaritans answered 3.3 million calls for help in 2023, one every 10 seconds.

6. 0800 1111 (Childline)

Childline is a free and confidential service designed for children in distress. Anybody under the age of 19 can call for non-judgmental counselling.

7. 0800 111 999 (Gas emergency)

You should call this phone number if you smell gas or you’re worried about a gas emergency. This is a free phone number to call, and it’s operated by SGN, a British gas distribution company.

You’ll be asked a variety of questions to discover the severity of the situation and be given advice on what to do. For example, the agent on the phone may advise you to evacuate while engineers make their way to your location.

8. 141 (Withhold identity)

Now this one is a little less serious, but it can also be used to keep your identity and your phone number private.

When calling a number, you can type 141 before their number. This means you’ll show us as a withheld number on their end.

9. 123 (Speaking Clock)

So, you might be thinking what the point of this is when we all have smartphones and watches that tell us the time. However, the Speaking Clock was first introduced in the 1930s when access to an accurate clock wasn’t as easy.

In 2025, it can still be a useful tool for those who are visually impaired or if you need to check the accuracy of your clocks and watches.

10. 0333 5555 247 (The Answering Service)

We’ve been talking about phone calls a lot, but if your business is struggling to answer them daily, and it’s impacting your productivity, the above phone number can help.

If you’re a business owner and you’re struggling to keep up with the number of phone calls you’re receiving, leading to many missed calls, The Answering Service is here to support you.

Simply call 0333 5555 247 to speak to our professional team and find out how we can handle phone calls, appointments, and so much more for your business!