Home > Consultations > Consultation Documents > Numbering review > Statement > 0300 eligibility guidance

Bodies eligible to use ‘0300’ telephone numbers

Introduction

Ofcom has designated the ‘0300’ range of telephone numbers in the National Telephone Numbering Plan for allocation to communications providers on the basis that those numbers are used by public sector bodies and not-for-profit bodies such as registered charities.

Ofcom will publish this document on its website, updating it as necessary, to provide guidance on how individual bodies will be considered as eligible to use ‘0300’ numbers.

Criteria for eligible bodies

Ofcom considers that the bodies eligible to use ‘0300’ numbers should meet at least one of two basic criteria:

• they should appear on one of the lists of appropriate bodies, maintained by other organisations, that are indicated by Ofcom in this document; or
• they should fulfil any of the other criteria indicated by Ofcom in this document that identify them as an appropriate body.

Lists of eligible bodies

Any body listed on the following lists will be eligible to use an ‘0300’ number. Ofcom considers it appropriate to include all bodies in these lists as eligible rather than specifically assessing the inclusion of particular bodies on the lists:

• List of Ministerial Responsibilities (including Executive Agencies and Non-Ministerial Departments) (http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/ministerial_responsibilities/downloads/index.asp)
• List of Public Bodies (maintained by the Cabinet Office) (http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/other/agencies/publications/pdf/public-bodies/publicbodies2005.pdf)
• Lists of Scottish Executive Departments and Agencies (http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/public-bodies/government-scotland)
• List of Public Bodies that are the responsibility of the Scottish Executive (http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/public-bodies/what-is)
• List of Welsh Assembly Government Departments (http://new.wales.gov.uk/about/departments/?lang=en)
• Central Register of Charities – maintained by the Charity Commission ( England & Wales) (http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/registeredcharities/first.asp)
• Scottish Register of Charities – maintained by The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (http://www.oscr.org.uk/TheRegister.stm)
• List of Welsh public bodies

Countryside Council for Wales	Welsh Nursing and Midwifery Committee
National Library of Wales	Welsh Pharmaceutical Committee
Welsh Language Board	Welsh Therapies Advisory Committee
National Museums and Galleries of Wales	Welsh Medical Committee
Sports Council for Wales	Welsh Committee for Professional Development of Pharmacists
Arts Council of Wales	Welsh Industrial Development Advisory Board
Health Professions Wales	Social Services Inspectorate for Wales: Inspection Advisory Group.
Royal Commission for Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales	Advisory Panel on Substance Misuse
Higher Education Funding Council for Wales	Agricultural Wages Committee (x6)
Care Council for Wales	All Wales Medicines Strategy Group
Local Government Boundary Commission	Independent Appeal Panel for Farmers
Environment Agency Wales	Valuation Tribunals ( Wales) (x4)
Agricultural Dwelling House Advisory Committee (x6)	Registered Inspectors Appeals Tribunal ( Wales)
Hill Farming Advisory Sub-Committee for Wales	Mental Health Review Tribunal for Wales
Welsh Scientific Advisory Committee	Agricultural Land Tribunal ( Wales)
Welsh Optometric Committee	Rent Assessment Panel for Wales
Welsh Dental Committee	Wales Centre for Health

Other criteria

The following are alternative bases of eligibility to use an ‘0300’ number:

• Having a website address ending in ‘.gov.uk’. Including this criterion confirms the eligibility of many public bodies set up between updates of the relevant lists;
• Having a website address ending in ‘.nhs.uk’. Including such bodies responds to concerns related to Ofcom about health services’ use of chargeable 08 numbers.
• Having charitable status in Northern Ireland. There is currently no register of charities in Northern Ireland, but the Department for Social Development in the Northern Ireland Government gives guidance for charities. The guidance states that documentary proof of charitable status is provided by the official letter granting charitable status for tax purposes. (http://www.dsdni.gov.uk/index/publications/charities_advice.htm )

Further information

Ofcom will not comment on the appropriateness of including any specific body on one of the lists of eligible bodies.

Ofcom retains discretion to indicate other bodies as eligible, but it would not normally expect to do so on an individual basis, to avoid undue administrative work. Other numbers in the ’03’ number range are available for use by those bodies not covered by the general criteria for eligibility to use ‘0300’ numbers outlined in this document.

Communications providers wishing to enquire about the eligibility of a particular body for an 0300 number, or to suggest additional criteria for eligibility, should contact Ofcom’s numbering applications team at numbering.applications@ofcom.org.uk.

Back to top