UK area codes — every 01/02 dialling code
What does each UK area code mean? Full guide to 01 and 02 dialling codes by region, with town look-ups, length rules and why some codes are 4 digits not 3.
On this page
UK area codes are the leading digits of every UK landline number — they tell you the town or region the number was originally allocated to. There are over 600 of them, ranging from the famous London 020 through the four-figure rural codes like 016977 (Brampton) to the regional megacodes like 0121 (Birmingham) and 0161 (Manchester). This is the explainer.
How UK area codes are structured
The UK numbering plan uses geographic area codes (01 and 02) for landline ranges. Each code is associated with a specific charge group and, in most cases, a principal town. The plan has been broadly stable since the Big Number Change of 2000.
UK area codes were rationalised under the Big Number Change in 2000 (PhONEday), and most have stayed stable since. The pattern:
| Format | Examples | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 3-digit area code (01X / 02X) | 020 (London), 029 (Cardiff), 024 (Coventry), 028 (NI), 023 (Portsmouth/Southampton) | 8-digit subscriber number — 11 digits total |
| 3-digit area code (01XX) | 0121 (Birmingham), 0151 (Liverpool), 0161 (Manchester), 0131 (Edinburgh), 0141 (Glasgow), 0191 (Tyneside) | Treated as 3-digit for spacing — 7-digit subscriber |
| 4-digit area code (01XXX) | 0114 (Sheffield), 0117 (Bristol), 0118 (Reading), 0113 (Leeds), 0115 (Nottingham), 0116 (Leicester) | 7-digit subscriber |
| 4-digit area code (01XX X) | 01202 (Bournemouth), 01223 (Cambridge), 01865 (Oxford) | 6-digit subscriber |
| 5-digit rural area code | 016977 (Brampton), 015396 (Sedbergh) | Often 5-digit subscriber for historic reasons |
Common UK area codes by region
London and South East
- 020 — London. See 020 London numbers explained for the 0203 / 0207 / 0208 / 0204 sub-prefix split.
- 01737 — Reigate. 01342 — East Grinstead. 01293 — Crawley.
- 01865 — Oxford. 01223 — Cambridge. 01273 — Brighton.
- 023 — Portsmouth and Southampton (rationalised in 2001).
Midlands
- 0121 — Birmingham.
- 024 — Coventry (and Bedworth, Nuneaton).
- 0115 — Nottingham. 0116 — Leicester. 01332 — Derby.
- 01902 — Wolverhampton. 01905 — Worcester.
North England
- 0114 — Sheffield. 0113 — Leeds. 0161 — Manchester.
- 0151 — Liverpool. (Yes, 0151 is Liverpool.)
- 0191 — Tyneside (Newcastle, Sunderland, Durham).
- 01904 — York. 01724 — Scunthorpe.
Scotland
- 0131 — Edinburgh. 0141 — Glasgow.
- 01382 — Dundee. 01224 — Aberdeen. 01463 — Inverness.
- 015 rural — Highlands and Islands historically.
Wales
- 029 — Cardiff (and Newport).
- 01792 — Swansea. 01267 — Carmarthen. 01248 — Bangor.
Northern Ireland
- 028 — covers all of Northern Ireland (Belfast, Derry, Armagh, etc.) since 2000.
Common UK area code questions
What area code is 0117?
Bristol. 0117 covers central Bristol and the immediate suburbs. The historic Bristol code (01272) was migrated to 0117 in the 1995 PhONEday changes. See the 0117 area page.
Is 0151 Liverpool?
Yes. 0151 covers Liverpool and most of Merseyside (Bootle, Wallasey, Birkenhead, Crosby). See the 0151 area page.
What area code is 0203?
London (sub-prefix of 020). 020 is the London area code; 0203, 0207 and 0208 are sub-prefixes within it that Ofcom opened sequentially as London ranges filled up. There is no geographic distinction between them inside London — see 020 London numbers explained.
Why does my new London number start 0204?
Because Ofcom opened 0204 as the next London sub-prefix in 2024 when 0203 ranges hit capacity. See the 020 explainer.
Browse every UK area code
Every UK 01 / 02 area code on this site has its own page with the principal town, region, and a sample of allocated number ranges. Start at the Area code index or jump straight to a region above.
Bottom line
UK area codes are a leftover from the era of paper directories and electromechanical exchanges, but they are still the most reliable consumer signal for where a UK landline number is from. The full Ofcom area-code data is published weekly and ingested into this site — paste any UK landline into the lookup form to see the matching area, town and Range Holder.
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Frequently asked questions
What area code is 0117?
Bristol. The 0117 area code covers central Bristol and the immediate suburbs. It replaced the historic 01272 code in the 1995 PhONEday rationalisation.
Is 0151 Liverpool?
Yes. 0151 is the Liverpool / Merseyside area code, covering Liverpool, Bootle, Wallasey, Birkenhead and Crosby. See our 0151 area page for the principal towns and a sample of allocated ranges.
What is the 0203 area code?
0203 is a sub-prefix within the London 020 area code. There is no geographic distinction between 0203, 0207, 0208 and 0204 within London — they are sequential allocations Ofcom opened as the previous prefix filled up. See our 020 London numbers explainer.
How many UK area codes are there?
Over 600 distinct 01 / 02 area codes, ranging from 3 digits (020 London, 029 Cardiff) to 5 digits (016977 Brampton, 015396 Sedbergh). The full list is published in the Ofcom National Telephone Numbering Plan and indexed at /area on this site.
Sources & references
- National Telephone Numbering PlanOfcomwww.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/phone-numbers/numbering-policy/numbering-plan
- UK Numbering Data (weekly feed)Ofcomwww.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/phone-numbers/numbering-data
Continue reading
- 020 London — 0203, 0207, 0208, 0204 explainedWhat is a 0203 number? Are 0207 and 0208 different parts of London? The full guide to 020 London sub-prefixes, who they were allocated to, and what called you.
- 0330 numbers UK — cost, callers, what to know0330 numbers explained — what does 0330 cost, are 0330 calls free with a mobile bundle, and how to identify who called you from a 0330 number in seconds.
- How Ofcom allocates UK phone numbersInside the National Telephone Numbering Plan: blocks, sub-allocations, porting, status flags, and the weekly numbering data feed that powers UK reverse lookups.
- UK phone number lookup — the complete 2026 guideHow UK phone number lookup actually works in 2026: what data sources are public, which tools are free, what 'Range Holder' really tells you, and how to identify any UK landline, mobile or non-geographic number in seconds.
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