The 01942 area code: Wigan

01942 is the UK dialling code for Wigan, 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.

01942 at a glance

Area
Wigan, Greater Manchester, England
Number format
(01942) XXX XXX, 6-digit local numbers
Calling from abroad
+44 1942 then the local number, dropping the first 0
Call cost
Standard UK landline rate, usually included in call allowances

Where 01942 reaches

The 01942 code serves Wigan, Leigh, Atherton, Hindley, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Golborne and the surrounding area.

Wigan has a population of around 82,000, with around 330,000 across the wider borough.

The pre-1995 code 0942 was known as WI2, taken from the letters W and I in WIgan - on the old rotary dial W is 9 and I is 4..

Getting calls from a 01942 number?

01942 is a legitimate geographic code, so most calls from it are ordinary: local businesses, surgeries, schools, councils and households in the Wigan 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 01942 number on your screen is not proof the call came from Wigan. 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.

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 01942 numbers?

Ofcom allocates 01942 numbers to communications providers in blocks. These providers currently hold the most number blocks in the Wigan area:

  • BT - 36 number blocks
  • Sky UK Limited - 27 number blocks
  • Gamma Telecom Holdings Limited - 21 number blocks
  • Virgin Media Limited - 16 number blocks
  • Vodafone Ltd (C&W) - 15 number blocks

247 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 01942 number for your business

A Wigan number makes your business local to the people searching for it, wherever you actually answer the phone. ONSIM supplies 01942 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 01942 number, with call recording available for regulated trades.

Already have a 01942 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.

01942 area code questions

Where is the 01942 area code?

01942 is the dialling code for Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It serves Wigan, Leigh, Atherton, Hindley, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Golborne 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 01942 number?

01942 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 1942 followed by the local number, charged at your provider's international rate to the UK.

Why am I getting calls from a 01942 number?

Most calls from 01942 numbers are exactly what they look like: a business, GP surgery, school or household in the Wigan area. But caller display can be faked, a practice called spoofing, so an unexpected call showing 01942 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 01942 number for my business?

Yes. You do not need an office in Wigan or a phone line from the dominant local provider. ONSIM can supply a 01942 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 01942 number. Existing 01942 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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