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HELPLINES PARTNERSHIP’S HELPLINE FREEPHONE RANGE PROVIDES CONFIDENTIALITY

FOR CALLERS WHO MAY BE AT RISK AND REDUCES OPERATING COSTS FOR HELPLINES.

Cost for helplines to set up a Helpline Freephone Range (HFR) number:

One off set up charge of £75 (+VAT)

Monthly admin fee of £10 (+VAT) per month. Annual payment option also available.

Up to 2.1 pence per minute (+VAT) for incoming calls from landlines and mobiles.

HFR numbers always begin with '0808 80' and we offer the scheme in partnership with four providers:

Telephone costs can be one of the biggest outgoings a helpline faces so it’s important to choose the right number.

With the approval of Ofcom, we offer access to an exclusive number range which is free to the caller. Costs for

helplines are capped at 2.1ppm for calls from both landlines and mobile phones. To ensure a smooth transition we

work closely with you so your service is unaffected.

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Free for your callers

Does not appear on callers bills

Incoming calls capped at 2.1ppm for helpline (landlines & mobiles in UK)

Call barriers removed—reach more people needing your service

Exempt from BT’s payphone access charge

Helps when applying for funding

Distinguishes your number as a helpline

Quick process to set up a new number

What is a Helpline Freephone Range (HFR) number?

The Helpline Freephone Range is a group of 10,000 phone numbers reserved exclusively for helplines supporting

vulnerable people. The numbers start 0808 80.

How do I know if my organisation is eligible for a number?

There are specific criteria to apply for an 0808 80 number. The helpline must be:

a Charity or Community Interest Company (CIC)

a member of Helplines Partnership

commissioned or run by the applicant

the number can only be used for a: helpline, advice line, listening support line, befriending line, counselling line,

referral line or information service.

The line must not be used for any transactional services such as reception, administration or fundraising.

How do I apply for a number?

Simply fill out our online application form and a member of the Team will keep you informed of progress. By submitting

the form you are confirming you agree to the Terms and Conditions of the scheme.

How long will the application take?

We will let you know the outcome of your application within one week. If you need the number urgently then let us know

and we will do our best to speed up the process.

Is there a minimum contracted period under the scheme?

No, however, organisations must continue membership with Helplines Partnership whilst the HFR number is in use.

How much will a caller be charged for calling an 0808 80 number?

Calls to 0808 80 numbers are free to call from landlines and mobile phones within the UK and do not appear on

itemised bills. They are also free to call from BT payphones.

How can I ensure the number is not similar to another helpline?

Our nominated providers have been allocated a block of numbers and your chosen provider will be able go through the

available numbers with you.

FURTHER FAQS CAN BE FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE

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These numbers can be costly for callers and may prevent them from calling your service.

Must declare call costs - which can be off-putting and lead to call termination. Can also be expensive to caller.

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05 WHAT IMPACT DOES YOUR NUMBER HAVE?

Free to caller but are being withdrawn and will cease to exist in 2017.

Premium rate numbers more expensive for callers and provider.

0845

Free to caller but helpline could incur increased charges.

We operate a mental health crisis support line and some of our callers use the line several times a day, every day, with many of the calls above 20 minutes in length. Most of our callers use mobiles to call us and have run up bills for hundreds of

pounds over the last few months. We felt that if we could provide a zero cost service to these callers we will be providing them with a vital life line at no cost to themselves. It’s proving to be very successful so far with benefits to both clients and ourselves.

Norwich Mind

JOIN THE OTHERS

As part of the Helplines Partnership, we were able to take advantage of the Helplines Freephone Range (HFR) which means the organisation can provide a quality service whilst paying the lowest and most competitive rate for calls. We

deal with over 1500 incoming telephone calls per month and the HFR ensures our costs are very low, beat all the competition and callers are afforded the time they need.

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BT has waived the Payphone Access Charges (PAC) from their payphones for Helplines Partnership (HLP)

members with free to caller numbers. The charge is currently 79p per minute so the potential saving to

helplines is substantial.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What are the number ranges for which PAC is waived?

0808 80 - HLP's Helpline Freephone Range (HFR)

0808, 0800 and 0500 - only HLP members' helpline numbers which support the wellbeing of callers

116 - All helplines that are on this range of numbers are exempt

Does PAC apply to all payphone calls?

No – it is just BT payphones at this stage. There are approximately 57,000 BT payphones across the UK.

Is there any charge to ring a helpline with a free to caller number from a BT phone box?

No, it is free to the caller.

What do we need to do?

HLP members do not need to do anything. We will provide a list to BT every month listing all the numbers

eligible to receive relief. It may take up to 6 weeks for a new helpline number to be registered for PAC relief. If you

are not a member of HLP join today

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HELPLINES PARTNERSHIP

T 0300 330 7777

E info@helplines.org

W www.helplines.org

© 2016 Helplines Partnership

Registered Company No: 6484279

Registered Charity No: 1125840