The 0191 area code: Tyneside, Sunderland and Durham

0191 is the UK dialling code for Tyneside, Sunderland and Durham, in Tyne and Wear, also covering eastern County Durham and south eastern Northumberland. 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.

0191 at a glance

Area
Tyneside, Sunderland and Durham, Tyne and Wear, also covering eastern County Durham and south eastern Northumberland, England
Number format
(0191) XXX XXXX, 7-digit local numbers
Calling from abroad
+44 191 then the local number, dropping the first 0
Call cost
Standard UK landline rate, usually included in call allowances

Ofcom lists this code area under several local names: Tyneside, Durham, Sunderland.

Where 0191 reaches

The 0191 code serves Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead, Sunderland, Durham, South Shields, Washington and the surrounding area.

Newcastle upon Tyne has a population of around 320,000 and the city of Sunderland around 274,000.

The 091 code was introduced in 1982, replacing Newcastle's 0632 (NE on the letter dial), Sunderland's 0783 and Durham's 0385 (DU); it became 0191 on PhONEday in April 1995. Local numbers starting 2 and 4 serve Tyneside, 3 Durham and 5 Sunderland.

091 had no official letter mnemonic, but the 9 is believed to have been chosen because it could stand for the Y in Tyne or the W in Wear on the letter dial.

Getting calls from a 0191 number?

0191 is a legitimate geographic code, so most calls from it are ordinary: local businesses, surgeries, schools, councils and households in the Tyneside, Sunderland and Durham 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 0191 number on your screen is not proof the call came from Tyneside, Sunderland and Durham. 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.

The first digit of the local number is often mistaken for part of the code, for example 01913 for Durham numbers; the code is simply 0191 followed by 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 0191 numbers?

Ofcom allocates 0191 numbers to communications providers in blocks. These providers currently hold the most number blocks in the Tyneside, Sunderland and Durham area:

  • BT - 168 number blocks
  • Virgin Media Limited - 35 number blocks
  • Vodafone Ltd (C&W) - 32 number blocks
  • Gamma Telecom Holdings Limited - 19 number blocks
  • Sky UK Limited - 11 number blocks

578 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 0191 number for your business

A Tyneside, Sunderland and Durham number makes your business local to the people searching for it, wherever you actually answer the phone. ONSIM supplies 0191 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 0191 number, with call recording available for regulated trades.

Already have a 0191 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 → Newcastle 0191 numbers →

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

0191 area code questions

Where is the 0191 area code?

0191 is the dialling code for Tyneside, Sunderland and Durham, in Tyne and Wear, also covering eastern County Durham and south eastern Northumberland, England. It serves Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead, Sunderland, Durham, South Shields, Washington 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 0191 number?

0191 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 +44 191 followed by the local number, charged at your provider's international rate to the UK.

Why am I getting calls from a 0191 number?

Most calls from 0191 numbers are exactly what they look like: a business, GP surgery, school or household in the Tyneside, Sunderland and Durham area. But caller display can be faked, a practice called spoofing, so an unexpected call showing 0191 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 0191 number for my business?

Yes. You do not need an office in Tyneside, Sunderland and Durham or a phone line from the dominant local provider. ONSIM can supply a 0191 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 0191 number. Existing 0191 numbers can be ported in: porting is included on Landline SIM plans, or a one-off £20 + VAT on Virtual Landline.

Keep exploring