Millions of pensionsers, job-seekers and disabled Britons
have been forced to call 0845 numbers when calling the Government for advice.
Documents seen by the Daily Telegraph reveal the Department of Work and Pensions operates a staggering 180 premium rate phone lines - for everything from enquiries about maternity allowance, benefits, and help finding work.
Between November 2012 and October 2013, more than 4.7 million people have called the DWP's Pension Changes hotline on 0845 60 60 265, which can cost up to 41p a minute.
Nearly 4 million who called a Social Fund hotline - designed to award "crisis loans" to people on low incomes to help pay for funeral costs or new babies - had to ring an 0845 number.
The figures also reveal that more 12 million have called the DWP's Jobcentre Plus switchbroad, where people have to call an 0845 number to change an appointment, check a claim or get advice about landing a job.
More than 150,000 people were charged a top rate to ring the DWP's Bereavement Benefit number.
The DWP admits there are currently "no alternative geographic numbers" for the 0845 lines it operates.
The details were laid bare by the DWP in a Parliamentary Answer to Valerie Vaz, the Labour MP for Walsall South, who has demanded answers from every Government department on their use of premium rate numbers.
Her questions follow a stunning report from the Public Accounts Committee earlier this month which revealed 130 million people were charged the top rate when calling Whitehall departments last year.
Richard Lloyd, exec director at Which? said: "It's outrageous that the Department of Work and Pensions uses so many high rate numbers, especially on helplines for financially vulnerable groups.
"The Cabinet Office must act immediately to ensure the Government and public bodies lead by example and cut off costly calls."
Consumer Minister Jo Swinson launched a crackdown on premium rate phone lines earlier this summer, proposing that big retailers set up geographic rate landline numbers for customers who want to lodge complaints.
The proposals exempted transport firms, banks and Government departments.
In January this year, the HMRC admitted that Cable & Wireless, the company running its 0845 lines, make almost £1 million in profit. The National Audit Office last year claimed taxpayers spent £33 million calling premium rate tax helplines during 2011-2012.
Telegraph
Documents seen by the Daily Telegraph reveal the Department of Work and Pensions operates a staggering 180 premium rate phone lines - for everything from enquiries about maternity allowance, benefits, and help finding work.
Between November 2012 and October 2013, more than 4.7 million people have called the DWP's Pension Changes hotline on 0845 60 60 265, which can cost up to 41p a minute.
Nearly 4 million who called a Social Fund hotline - designed to award "crisis loans" to people on low incomes to help pay for funeral costs or new babies - had to ring an 0845 number.
The figures also reveal that more 12 million have called the DWP's Jobcentre Plus switchbroad, where people have to call an 0845 number to change an appointment, check a claim or get advice about landing a job.
More than 150,000 people were charged a top rate to ring the DWP's Bereavement Benefit number.
The DWP admits there are currently "no alternative geographic numbers" for the 0845 lines it operates.
The details were laid bare by the DWP in a Parliamentary Answer to Valerie Vaz, the Labour MP for Walsall South, who has demanded answers from every Government department on their use of premium rate numbers.
Her questions follow a stunning report from the Public Accounts Committee earlier this month which revealed 130 million people were charged the top rate when calling Whitehall departments last year.
Richard Lloyd, exec director at Which? said: "It's outrageous that the Department of Work and Pensions uses so many high rate numbers, especially on helplines for financially vulnerable groups.
"The Cabinet Office must act immediately to ensure the Government and public bodies lead by example and cut off costly calls."
Consumer Minister Jo Swinson launched a crackdown on premium rate phone lines earlier this summer, proposing that big retailers set up geographic rate landline numbers for customers who want to lodge complaints.
The proposals exempted transport firms, banks and Government departments.
In January this year, the HMRC admitted that Cable & Wireless, the company running its 0845 lines, make almost £1 million in profit. The National Audit Office last year claimed taxpayers spent £33 million calling premium rate tax helplines during 2011-2012.
Telegraph
