Just had a letter from the DWP (Fnannce group bank liaison section) whose number is 0345 600 2865. So far so good. The way they declare call charges is very odd:

"Calls should cost no more than 12p/min with an initial setup charge from landlines that may vary dependant on your operator. Calls from mobiles can cost up to 45p/min"

This may well be technically accurate but what they miss is that calls are charged exactly the same as calling 01 and 02 numbers and are included in calling plans.

Stating call charges in that manner is utterly absurd. Not only do the figures go out of date very quickly (indeed, from landlines they are now up to 13p per minute and from mobiles they are now up to 55p per minute).such a description fails to take into account that these charges apply only when callers fail to select an inclusive call plan covering their needs.

Statements that give prominence to the most extreme call charges on the worst phone deals on the market also help fuel the incorrect headlines that DWP uses premium rate numbers. They do not. This ended when DWP swapped their premium rate 0845 numbers over to the matching 0345 numbers on 17 March 2014.

As the call charges for calls to 03 numbers are set by the caller's phone provider, there is no need for DWP to state any figures whatsoever. A more useful call charge declaration that will not go out of date would say something like... "Calls to 03 numbers count towards inclusive allowances on landlines and mobiles else are charged at your provider's 'geographic rate' - the same as calling 01 and 02 numbers."