The 0161 area code: Manchester

0161 is the UK dialling code for Manchester, in Greater Manchester. 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.

0161 at a glance

Area
Manchester, Greater Manchester, England
Number format
(0161) XXX XXXX, 7-digit local numbers
Calling from abroad
+44 161 then the local number, dropping the first 0
Call cost
Standard UK landline rate, usually included in call allowances

Where 0161 reaches

The 0161 code serves Manchester, Salford, Stockport, Oldham, Bury, Sale and the surrounding area.

The city of Manchester had a population of 552,000 at the 2021 census.

Manchester was one of the UK's six director areas, with director exchanges from 1930, and used the 061 code from the move to all figure dialling in 1966; 061 became 0161 on PhONEday, 16 April 1995.

In the old director code 061, the 6 corresponded to M for Manchester on the letter dial, following the pattern used for the other director cities.

Getting calls from a 0161 number?

0161 is a legitimate geographic code, so most calls from it are ordinary: local businesses, surgeries, schools, councils and households in the Manchester 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 0161 number on your screen is not proof the call came from Manchester. 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 are sometimes written as if 01614 or 01616 were area codes; they are not, the code is 0161 and the following digit is the first digit of a seven digit local number.

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 0161 numbers?

Ofcom allocates 0161 numbers to communications providers in blocks. These providers currently hold the most number blocks in the Manchester area:

  • BT - 273 number blocks
  • Vodafone Ltd (C&W) - 65 number blocks
  • Virgin Media Limited - 48 number blocks
  • Gamma Telecom Holdings Limited - 32 number blocks
  • GCI Network Solutions Limited - 21 number blocks

709 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 0161 number for your business

A Manchester number makes your business local to the people searching for it, wherever you actually answer the phone. ONSIM supplies 0161 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 0161 number, with call recording available for regulated trades.

Already have a 0161 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 → Manchester 0161 numbers →

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

0161 area code questions

Where is the 0161 area code?

0161 is the dialling code for Manchester, in Greater Manchester, England. It serves Manchester, Salford, Stockport, Oldham, Bury, Sale 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 0161 number?

0161 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 +44 161 followed by the local number, charged at your provider's international rate to the UK.

Why am I getting calls from a 0161 number?

Most calls from 0161 numbers are exactly what they look like: a business, GP surgery, school or household in the Manchester area. But caller display can be faked, a practice called spoofing, so an unexpected call showing 0161 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 0161 number for my business?

Yes. You do not need an office in Manchester or a phone line from the dominant local provider. ONSIM can supply a 0161 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 0161 number. Existing 0161 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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