The 01524 area code: Lancaster

01524 is the UK dialling code for Lancaster, in Lancashire (also serves Arnside and Silverdale on the Cumbria border). It is a geographic landline code, so calling it costs the same as any other UK landline number and is usually included in call allowances.

Built from Ofcom numbering data, last refreshed 2026-07-24.

01524 at a glance

Area
Lancaster, Lancashire (also serves Arnside and Silverdale on the Cumbria border), England
Number format
(01524) XXX XXX, 6-digit local numbers, with the separate six-figure code 015242 (Hornby) using 5-digit local numbers within the same range
Calling from abroad
+44 1524 then the local number, dropping the first 0
Call cost
Standard UK landline rate, usually included in call allowances

Where 01524 reaches

The 01524 code serves Lancaster, Morecambe, Carnforth, Heysham, Arnside and the surrounding area.

The Lancaster district, which includes Morecambe, has a population of around 143,000 (2021 census).

Under the old lettered dialling scheme the code was derived from the first two letters of Lancaster, L=5 and A=2 giving 0524, which became 01524 at PhONEday in April 1995.

Getting calls from a 01524 number?

01524 is a legitimate geographic code, so most calls from it are ordinary: local businesses, surgeries, schools, councils and households in the Lancaster area. Two things are worth knowing before you call back.

First, caller display can be faked. Scammers spoof real UK area codes to look local, so a 01524 number on your screen is not proof the call came from Lancaster. Second, the safe habit is simple: if a caller you were not expecting asks for personal or payment details, hang up and ring the organisation back on a number you found independently.

Numbers written as 01524 2 followed by five digits actually belong to the separate six-figure Hornby code 015242, which sits inside the same dialling range.

Checking a full number rather than just the code? Try our free UK phone number checker, which identifies the area and original provider of any UK number from Ofcom data.

Who issues 01524 numbers?

Ofcom allocates 01524 numbers to communications providers in blocks. These providers currently hold the most number blocks in the Lancaster area:

  • BT - 73 number blocks
  • Vodafone Ltd (C&W) - 26 number blocks
  • Sky UK Limited - 11 number blocks
  • TalkTalk Communications Limited - 7 number blocks
  • Gamma Telecom Holdings Limited - 7 number blocks

223 blocks allocated in total. The provider a number was first issued to is not necessarily who serves it today, because numbers move between providers when ported.

Get a 01524 number for your business

A Lancaster number makes your business local to the people searching for it, wherever you actually answer the phone. ONSIM supplies 01524 numbers two ways: a virtual number that diverts to any phone from £5 a month, or on a Landline SIM from £10 a month so your mobile rings and dials as the 01524 number, with call recording available for regulated trades.

Already have a 01524 number? You can bring it with you. Porting in is included on Landline SIM plans, or a one-off £20 + VAT on Virtual Landline.

Get a quote Virtual landline → Landline SIM →

Not sure which number type fits? Two minutes with the business number chooser will tell you.

01524 area code questions

Where is the 01524 area code?

01524 is the dialling code for Lancaster, in Lancashire (also serves Arnside and Silverdale on the Cumbria border), England. It serves Lancaster, Morecambe, Carnforth, Heysham, Arnside and the surrounding area. The code and the areas it serves are set by Ofcom, the UK communications regulator.

How much does it cost to call a 01524 number?

01524 numbers are standard UK geographic landline numbers, charged at the same rate as any other 01 or 02 number. Most mobile and landline tariffs include them in inclusive minutes, so the call usually costs nothing extra. From abroad, dial +44 1524 followed by the local number, charged at your provider's international rate to the UK.

Why am I getting calls from a 01524 number?

Most calls from 01524 numbers are exactly what they look like: a business, GP surgery, school or household in the Lancaster area. But caller display can be faked, a practice called spoofing, so an unexpected call showing 01524 is not proof the caller is really local. If a caller asks for personal or payment details, hang up and call the organisation back on a number you found yourself, for example from its website or a bill.

Can I get a 01524 number for my business?

Yes. You do not need an office in Lancaster or a phone line from the dominant local provider. ONSIM can supply a 01524 number that diverts to any phone from £5 a month, or put it on a business SIM so your mobile makes and receives calls as the 01524 number. Existing 01524 numbers can be ported in: porting is included on Landline SIM plans, or a one-off £20 + VAT on Virtual Landline.

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