The UK's major mobile network providers have agreed that customers who make calls to the benefits and pensions helpline operated by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will no longer be charged for doing so.

Calls to the DWP's 0800 number, which is already free to call from landline connections, will be free of charge to mobile users from the end of January 2010.

There are still around 24 smaller networks that have yet to agree to the changes, but Minister Jim Knight said that he expected them to consent to the changes by April this year.

Mr Knight said his department has "achieved a significant step towards making a reality of our policy of free calls to our 0800 claims lines for all our customers".

Over 60 million calls are received by the DWP each year and an estimated 15 per cent come from mobile phones.

Since many operators currently charge over the odds for calls to 0800 numbers, this new agreement will allow significant savings to be made.

Mr Knight also outlined plans for the use of an SMS-based service that would keep costs down for mobile users and allow for automated responses and call-back requests to be made.

News Source:- http://www.top10.co.uk