- In April 2019 Ofcom introduced a price cap on 118 directory enquiry services, limiting the service charge to 3.65 pounds per 90 seconds.
- A 118 call costs that capped service charge plus an access charge set by your own phone provider, billed separately under the unbundled tariff.
- Before the 2019 cap, Ofcom found some 118 calls had reached over 11 pounds for a 90-second call, which prompted the intervention.
- 118 numbers must advertise their service charge wherever they are promoted, in line with Ofcom's transparency rules for service-charge numbers.
- Different 118 providers set different service charges up to the cap, so the price varies between the various 118 numbers in use.
A 118 call costs a service charge, capped by Ofcom since April 2019 at 3.65 pounds per 90 seconds, plus your provider's access charge. Prices vary by 118 number, so check before calling.
Last reviewed: June 2026
How 118 directory enquiry calls are charged
Dialling a 118 number connects you to a directory enquiry service, and like other service-charge numbers it is billed in two parts under Ofcom's unbundled tariff. The service charge is set by the company running the particular 118 number and is the same regardless of which network you call from. The access charge is set by your own telephone provider and applies to all 084, 087, 09 and 118 calls. The total you pay is the sum of the two figures.
What makes 118 services distinctive is the way the service charge is structured. Many 118 numbers price per call connection and per minute or per ninety-second block, and historically these charges climbed steeply for longer calls. A short request that ran on while the operator searched could become surprisingly expensive, which is precisely the problem Ofcom set out to address with a hard cap.
It is worth keeping in mind that 118 numbers sit in the same broad family as other service-charge numbers, governed by the unbundled tariff that Ofcom brought in during July 2015. That reform applies across 084, 087, 09 and 118 calls and was intended to make the two-part price visible to every caller. For 118 specifically, the further step of a per-90-second cap reflects how directory enquiry pricing had drifted well beyond what callers expected, in a way the general transparency rules alone had not corrected.
What Ofcom did about 118 charges
By the late 2010s Ofcom had become concerned that 118 directory enquiry prices had risen sharply and that callers, often older or less able to look up numbers online, faced bills out of all proportion to the service. Ofcom's review found that some 118 services were charging over 11 pounds for a 90-second call once the various per-call and per-minute elements were combined. The regulator concluded that the market was not delivering fair prices and that intervention was justified.
The response was a direct price control. From 1 April 2019 Ofcom capped the service charge for 118 directory enquiry calls at 3.65 pounds per 90 seconds. The cap covers the service-charge element only; the access charge set by your provider sits on top. The aim was to stop the worst excesses while keeping the service available, and it remains the headline figure callers should know.
The 118 charge structure under Ofcom's cap
The cap fixes a ceiling, but providers remain free to price below it, and the per-call and per-minute breakdown still varies between numbers. The table below sets out the components of a 118 charge and how the cap constrains them. The figures describe the regulated maximum and the mechanism rather than the price of any single provider, because each 118 number sets its own service charge up to the cap.
| Charge component | Who sets it | Regulated limit |
|---|---|---|
| Service charge | The 118 provider | Capped at 3.65 pounds per 90 seconds (since April 2019) |
| Access charge | Your phone provider | Published in their price list, not capped by the 118 rule |
| Connection element | The 118 provider | Must fall within the overall service-charge cap |
| Call-completion (put through) | The 118 provider | Subject to advertised, transparent pricing |
The clearest takeaway from the table is that the only part of the price your own provider controls is the access charge, and the service charge is capped per 90 seconds rather than per minute, so a longer search costs more even under the cap.
How to use directory enquiries and keep costs down
To use a 118 service you dial the six-digit number, ask the operator for the listing you want, and either take the number or, on some services, ask to be put through. The put-through option can add cost, because the call stays connected and the per-90-second service charge keeps running while you are speaking to the person you were looking up. Asking for the number and dialling it yourself avoids that extra running charge.
Because the cap is set per 90 seconds, the practical way to limit the bill is to know exactly what you are asking for before you dial, so the operator can find it quickly. Having the business name and town ready, and declining the put-through service, keeps the call short. Checking the advertised service charge for the specific 118 number first lets you pick a cheaper one, since providers price differently below the cap.
Alternatives to calling 118
For many enquiries there are routes that cost nothing. A search engine or an online business directory will usually return a phone number without any call charge, and most organisations publish their own contact numbers on their websites. For official and public-service contacts, GOV.UK lists numbers directly, and many of these are 03 numbers that cost the same as a standard call and come out of inclusive minutes.
Where someone cannot easily go online, a landline phone book, a saved contact, or asking a friend or relative to look up the number avoids the 118 charge entirely. The 118 service remains useful when no other route is available, but given the per-90-second service charge it is worth treating as a last resort rather than a default. Knowing the cap and the cheaper alternatives helps avoid an unexpectedly large line on the bill.
It also helps to understand who is most exposed to 118 costs. Ofcom's concern when it acted in 2019 was that the people most likely to use directory enquiries were often those least able to look numbers up themselves, including some older callers, and that they faced the highest bills. Treating 118 as one option among several, checking the service charge first, and reaching for a free route where one exists keeps the service available for the moments it is genuinely needed while limiting the cost. If a 118 charge on a bill looks wrong against the advertised price, the access-charge and billing questions go to your own provider, and complaints about the service charge itself fall within the service-charge framework.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to call 118?
A 118 call costs a service charge set by the provider plus an access charge set by your own phone company. Since April 2019 the service charge is capped by Ofcom at 3.65 pounds per 90 seconds. The exact total depends on the 118 number you dial and your provider's access charge.
What did Ofcom do about 118 charges?
After finding that some 118 calls had reached over 11 pounds for 90 seconds, Ofcom introduced a price cap in April 2019. The cap limits the service charge to 3.65 pounds per 90 seconds. It was designed to protect callers, particularly those who rely on directory enquiries, from excessive bills.
Is there a cap on 118 directory enquiry charges?
Yes. Since 1 April 2019 Ofcom has capped the service charge for 118 directory enquiry calls at 3.65 pounds per 90 seconds. The cap applies to the service-charge element only; your provider's access charge is billed on top and is not covered by this particular cap.
What are alternatives to calling 118?
Many numbers can be found free of charge through a search engine, an online directory, or an organisation's own website. GOV.UK lists official contact numbers, often 03 numbers that come out of inclusive minutes. A printed phone book or asking someone to look up the number also avoids the 118 charge.
Which 118 numbers charge the most?
Different 118 providers set different service charges up to the Ofcom cap, so prices vary between numbers. The most expensive sit at or near the 3.65 pounds per 90 seconds ceiling, while others price below it. Checking the advertised service charge for a specific number before dialling shows where it sits.
