Charges for customer telephone lines : twenty-seventh report of session 2013-14, report, together with formal minutes, oral and written evidence

Telephone services are a vital part of government support, accounting for 43% of all customer contacts.

But departments are continuing to make extensive use of higher rate phone numbers for customer telephone lines despite the fact that many people are put off calling as a result.

The most vulnerable callers, on the lowest incomes, face some of the highest charges.

Costs to callers are even higher because the caller has to endure long waiting times and poor customer service.

In the face of this evidence we welcome the Cabinet Office's acknowledgement that it was "inappropriate" for vulnerable citizens to pay a substantial charge to access public services and its commitment to establish best practice in this field and ensure it is followed across government