How much does it cost to call an 020 number?

Calls to 020 numbers are geographic landline calls, charged at your provider’s standard UK landline rate and normally included in any inclusive minutes — the same as calling an 03 number.

I had a missed call from an 020 number — is it a scam?

Not necessarily, but be careful. Scammers often spoof local codes such as 020 so a call looks like it’s from London and you’re more likely to answer. A familiar area code is never proof of who is calling — if in doubt, hang up and call the organisation back on a number you find independently.

How do I dial a London number from abroad?

Drop the leading 0 and add the UK country code +44. A London number written as 020 7946 0000 becomes +44 20 7946 0000 when dialled internationally.

Can this tool tell me who owns the number?

No. It shows the geographic area of the dialling code and the communications provider Ofcom allocated the number range to — not the individual or business that holds a specific number, which can also have been ported to another network.

020 Area Code – London | Dialling Code, Format & Call Charges

Q: Where is the 020 area code?

020 is the UK geographic dialling code for London, covering the whole of Greater London and the City of London. It sits in Greater London in London, England. London uses the UK's only two-digit-style area code, 020, with eight-digit local numbers split across ranges such as 7 (inner London), 8 (outer London) and 3 (newer allocations).

Dialling code: 020
Area / city: London
Covers: The whole of Greater London and the City of London
County: Greater London
Region / nation: London, England
Number type: Geographic landline (01/02)
Local format: 020 XXXX XXXX
From abroad: +44 20 7946 0000

Where is the 020 area code?

The 020 dialling code is the UK geographic area code for London, covering the whole of Greater London and the City of London. London lies in Greater London, in the London region of England. London uses the UK's only two-digit-style area code, 020, with eight-digit local numbers split across ranges such as 7 (inner London), 8 (outer London) and 3 (newer allocations).

Because 020 is a geographic (01/02) code, a number using it is tied to the London area — though with modern hosted telephony (VoIP) a business can keep an 020 number even after moving premises, so the code reflects the original area rather than a guaranteed physical location today.

London phone number format & example

An London number is made up of a 3-digit area code followed by an 8-digit local number. Written in full it looks like 020 XXXX XXXX (the Xs stand for the local digits). 020 7946 0000 is a number Ofcom reserves for use in TV and radio dramas, so it is safe to show as an example — it can never be allocated to a real person.

How to dial a London (020) number

Within the London area: on most lines you can dial just the local part of the number, although dialling the full national number including 020 always works.
From elsewhere in the UK: dial the full number including the area code — 020 7946 0000.
From abroad: replace the leading 0 with +44 — +44 20 7946 0000.

Call charges for 020 numbers

Calls to 020 geographic numbers are charged at your phone provider’s standard UK landline rate and are normally included in any inclusive call minutes on your landline or mobile plan. UK-wide 03 numbers are guaranteed by Ofcom to cost the same as 01/02 calls, while 084, 087 and 09 numbers cost considerably more — so it’s always worth checking the prefix before you dial.

Spotting spoofed 020 scam calls

Fraudsters frequently spoof local dialling codes, faking the caller ID so a scam call appears to come from a nearby London (020) number you might trust. This is called neighbour spoofing. Remember:

A familiar 020 area code is not proof the caller is local or genuine — caller ID can be faked.
Banks, HMRC and the police will never ask you to move money or share passwords or one-time codes over the phone.
If a call feels off, hang up, wait a moment, and call the organisation back on a number from their official website or your statement.
Report nuisance calls to the ICO and forward scam texts to 7726 (free).

Nearby & related area codes

Explore the dialling codes of places near London:

01483 Guildford South East 0118 Reading South East

Browse all UK area-code guides ›

020 area code – London