Deal ends fees for mobile calls to benefit claim lines

From next week, six of the biggest mobile phone companies will no

longer charge customers for calls to benefit claim lines at the

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

Calls to claim benefits and state pension use 0800 numbers which are already free to customers using BT land lines and mobiles, but people using other mobile phone providers are charged.

The department said it had reached agreement with O2, Orange, Tesco Mobile, T-Mobile, Virgin Mobile and Vodafone to end charges to their customers for mobile calls to make initial claims for benefit and pensions and to request emergency payments, such as crisis loans.