To call the UK from abroad, dial the local exit code (00 in most of the world, 011 from the US and Canada, 0011 from Australia), then 44, then the UK number without its first 0. On a mobile, you can skip the exit code and type +44 instead, which works from every country.

So the mobile number 07700 900123 becomes +44 7700 900123, and the London landline 020 7946 0123 becomes +44 20 7946 0123. (Both are Ofcom's reserved drama numbers, so they are safe examples and not real lines.)

The rest of this page is about the parts that are specific to being abroad: which exit code applies where you are, which UK numbers simply will not connect from overseas, what a call home really costs on roaming compared with WiFi, and what time it is back home.

Exit codes for 15 countries you might be calling from

The exit code (also called the international access code) is what you dial first on a local landline, a hotel phone or a local SIM. It tells the network the call is leaving the country. On a mobile, + replaces it.

Where you are	Exit code	Full sequence to a UK mobile
Spain	00	00 44 7xxx xxxxxx
France	00	00 44 7xxx xxxxxx
Portugal	00	00 44 7xxx xxxxxx
Italy	00	00 44 7xxx xxxxxx
Germany	00	00 44 7xxx xxxxxx
Ireland	00	00 44 7xxx xxxxxx
United Arab Emirates	00	00 44 7xxx xxxxxx
India	00	00 44 7xxx xxxxxx
South Africa	00	00 44 7xxx xxxxxx
New Zealand	00	00 44 7xxx xxxxxx
Mexico	00	00 44 7xxx xxxxxx
United States	011	011 44 7xxx xxxxxx
Canada	011	011 44 7xxx xxxxxx
Australia	0011	0011 44 7xxx xxxxxx
Japan	010	010 44 7xxx xxxxxx

Two notes. In Japan, some phones need a carrier code before 010, so if a call fails from a Japanese landline or payphone, ask at reception or use + on a mobile. In Ireland, Northern Irish numbers are UK numbers too: dial them with 44, not as Irish calls.

The dropped-zero rule for 07, 01 and 02 numbers

Every UK number written for domestic use starts with 0. That 0 is a trunk prefix, used only for calls inside the UK. When you add 44, the 0 goes.

UK number type	Written in the UK	Dialled from abroad
Mobile	07xxx xxxxxx	+44 7xxx xxxxxx
London landline	020 xxxx xxxx	+44 20 xxxx xxxx
Other landline (e.g. Manchester)	0161 xxx xxxx	+44 161 xxx xxxx
03 non-geographic	03xx xxx xxxx	+44 3xx xxx xxxx

The most common error is +44 07. It may connect on some networks, but it often fails with a recorded message or a failed-call tone. The second most common is 0044 0 from a hotel phone, which fails for the same reason.

UK numbers that often do not work from abroad

This is the part that catches travellers out, usually when they need their bank, their GP surgery or an airline urgently.

0800 and 0808 (Freephone). Free from UK phones, but the organisation pays for the call and many block calls from outside the UK. Ofcom's UK Calling rules on call charges apply to calls made within the UK, not to calls from overseas. Look on the organisation's website for an "if you're calling from abroad" number, which is normally a regular +44 number. Our guide to UK 0800 numbers from abroad goes through the workarounds.
03 numbers. These are charged like 01 and 02 landlines in the UK and usually work from abroad as +44 3xx. Some organisations still restrict international access on them, so if one fails, look for an alternative overseas number.
118 numbers (directory enquiries). Generally not reachable from outside the UK. Search online instead.
09 numbers (premium rate) and most 084 and 087 service numbers. Often blocked from abroad, and expensive when they do connect.

If you only have an 0800 number and it will not connect, try the organisation's app, web chat or a +44 number listed on its contact page. Banks, HMRC and airlines usually publish one.

What a 10-minute call home actually costs

How you call matters far more than where you are. Here is a 10-minute call to a UK mobile, compared three ways. Prices as of October 2026.

How you call	What you pay for 10 minutes	Notes
UK SIM roaming in Europe on Three, with Go Roam in Europe	£2 day charge, then UK calls use your plan allowance (3p a minute beyond it)	For plans where roaming is not built in
UK SIM roaming further afield on Three, with Go Roam Around the World	£8 day charge (from 1 April 2026) for customers who joined on or after 18 December 2025; £5 for earlier customers	UK calls then come from your plan's minutes
Three pay as you go, outside Go Roam destinations	£1.40 to £3 a minute in bands 1 to 4, so £14 to £30	Band depends on the country
BoraPhone in a browser over WiFi	US$0.70 (US$0.07 a minute to UK mobiles), or US$0.40 to a UK landline	Per minute, rounded up to the next full minute

Three's figures are from its Go Roam page. Other UK networks have their own day passes and bands, so check your network's roaming page before you travel. BoraPhone's prices are at the time of writing (October 2026); the live price is on the UK rates page.

The fair summary: if your plan includes roaming in the country you are in, or you already pay for a day pass, call home on your UK SIM. If you only need one or two calls during a long trip, a day charge for a single call is expensive, and a browser call over the hotel WiFi costs under a dollar. BoraPhone runs in Chrome, Safari, Edge or Firefox with no app or SIM, needs only a US$5 top-up, and shows the rate before each call. Your first call is free and failed calls are refunded.

Hotel phones, local SIMs and WiFi: the options abroad

Hotel room phones. Dial the hotel's outside-line digit (often 0 or 9), then the local exit code, then 44. Hotels set their own call charges and may add a connection fee, so ask reception for the rate before you dial. A call that looks free on the room card can still be billed.

A local SIM. A prepaid SIM from a local network gives you local rates for local calls, but calls to the UK are international calls on that network and are charged per minute at its international rate. Check the rate on the local network's website or ask in the shop.

A travel eSIM. Most travel eSIMs are data only. They give you internet but no phone number, so you call home through an app or a browser rather than by dialling.

WiFi. Hotel, café and airport WiFi is good enough for voice calls most of the time. Turn on airplane mode, then turn WiFi back on, so your phone cannot fall back to roaming without you noticing. Some UK networks also support WiFi calling while abroad; check with yours how those calls are billed before you rely on it.

What time is it in the UK?

The UK is on GMT in winter and BST (GMT+1) in summer. In 2026 the clocks go back on 25 October, and in 2027 they go forward on 28 March, according to GOV.UK.

Where you are	Hours ahead of the UK, UK summer	Hours ahead of the UK, UK winter
Spain, France, Italy, Germany	1	1
Dubai	3	4
India	4.5	5.5
Thailand	6	7
Singapore, Hong Kong	7	8
Sydney	9	11
New York	5 behind	5 behind

Countries change their clocks on different dates, so for a few weeks each spring and autumn the gap is an hour different from the table. Sydney, for example, moves its clocks in early October and early April, while the UK moves in late March and late October. When in doubt, check the world clock on your phone before you call.

Mistakes people make calling the UK from abroad

Keeping the 0 after 44. It is +44 7, never +44 07.
Using the wrong exit code. 00 works across Europe, but not from the US, Canada or Australia.
Calling an 0800 number. Look for the overseas number first.
Leaving mobile data roaming on while you think you are on WiFi. Airplane mode plus WiFi avoids it.
Calling at the wrong time. From Asia or Australia, your evening is the UK's morning.
Assuming a hotel call is cheap because it is short. Ask first.

Country guides

For the details of your route, including local carriers and time zones, see our guides to calling the UK from Spain, from Canada and from Australia. Prices to every other country are on the rates page.

Frequently asked questions

How do I dial a UK number from a mobile abroad?

Type +44, then the number without its first 0. A UK mobile 07xxx xxxxxx becomes +44 7xxx xxxxxx. To get the + on most phones, press and hold the 0 key.

Which country has the country code +44?

+44 is the United Kingdom: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey also use +44 numbers, though they are not part of the UK.

How do I call a UK landline from abroad?

Dial your exit code or +, then 44, then the area code without its 0, then the number. A London landline 020 xxxx xxxx becomes +44 20 xxxx xxxx, and a Birmingham number 0121 xxx xxxx becomes +44 121 xxx xxxx.

Does it cost money to call a UK number from abroad?

Yes, unless your plan includes it. On a UK SIM, calls home cost whatever your roaming deal says, from plan minutes in many European countries to several pounds a minute on pay-as-you-go further afield. App-to-app calls on WhatsApp or FaceTime over WiFi are free, and browser calls to UK numbers cost a few cents a minute.

Can I call a UK 0800 number from abroad?

Sometimes, but often not. The organisation decides whether to accept overseas calls on its Freephone number, and many do not. Look for a regular +44 contact number on its website instead.

How to Call the UK from Abroad: +44, Exit Codes and the Dropped 0