Advice on stopping nuisance calls

Stop getting nuisance calls and texts

(This advice applies to England).

Stop getting nuisance calls

There are some actions you can take to stop getting nuisance calls that you don’t want.

You shouldn’t get nuisance calls if you didn’t give the caller your number - for example:

If you’re getting calls about PPI or accidents

Companies calling you about PPI claims, personal injury claims or other claims can't call you unless you’ve told them they can.  

If they call without your permission, you can report them to the Information Commissioner's Office. 

It’s helpful if you know the number they called from and the date and time they called. If you don’t have all this information, you can give other details of the call - for example, the name of the company that called you.

The Information Commissioner will investigate and can fine the company who called.

Register with the Telephone Preference Service

The best way to reduce nuisance calls is to register for free with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS).

They’ll add you to their list of numbers that don’t want to receive sales and marketing calls. It’s against the law for sales people from the UK or overseas to call numbers registered with TPS.

Registering won’t stop automated marketing calls, also known as ‘computer generated calls’. This is because the law only applies to people not computers. You should talk to your telephone provider about how to stop these calls.

Registering with TPS also won’t stop calls from scammers. 

To register with TPS you’ll need your:

The quickest way to register is to fill in the TPS online registration form on the TPS website.

If you can’t use the online form, you can register with TPS by phone instead:

TPS 24 hour automated registration

Telephone: 0345 070 0707

Your call is likely to be free of charge if you have a phone deal that includes free calls to landlines - find out more about calling 0345 numbers.

If anyone says they’re from TPS and asks you for money to register, it’s a scam.

You can also register from your mobile phone by texting ‘TPS’ and your email address to 85095.

If you still get nuisance calls 28 days after registering with TPS, it might be because you gave the caller your number. Tell the individual caller you don’t want to be contacted again, and they should stop calling you.

You might also still get calls from companies that don't follow the regulations. You can complain about companies that ignore the law on the TPS website.