Anger as BT 'cuts off lifeline to the elderly'

Telecoms giant BT has been accused of ‘cutting off a lifeline’ to the elderly after it quietly shut down its free online directory weeks after axing its free phone book.

Bosses ditched the physical catalogue at the start of this month (1/4) after 144 years, leaving the website as the only place to get numbers without paying.

But now the Mail on Sunday has learnt that the internet service is set to close on Tuesday (30/4).

It means customers seeking numbers will be forced to dial 118 500, which costs £1.55 per minute on top of a 77p call charge.

Requesting a printed phonebook now costs around £13 – and BT warned it will significantly increase the price next year despite printing it for just 50p a copy.

The Mail on Sunday has learnt that the internet service is set to close on Tuesday. Pictured: BT’s website homepage

Bosses ditched the physical catalogue at the start of this month (1/4) after 144 years, leaving the website as the only place to get numbers without paying

It means customers seeking numbers will be forced to dial 118 500, which costs £1.55 per minute on top of a 77p call charge. Pictured: File image

READ MORE: End of an era: The phone book goes the way of the fax machine as it drops through doors for the very last time after almost 150 years 

Consumer expert Sarah Coles of analysts Hargreaves Lansdown said: ‘BT could be cutting off a lifeline here. People need to fully understand that calling the 118 number is so expensive.

‘The risk is that older people are stuck at home and not knowing the number they want to call, nor how to find that number anymore.’

Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK, added: ‘Most older people who we’ve asked say the phone book should be available for free. It’s a very useful resource.’

The move comes in stark contrast to the Yellow Pages which has kept a free website, yelp.com, after it stopped printing the legendary phone book in 2019.

BT admitted that over a fifth (21 per cent) of users of its online services are over 65 as it cut the service.

It is understood the communications firm will save £9 million by not printing the usual 18 million books.

Instead, customers are urged to download a PDF version from its website or pay £10 plus postage to get their hands on a physical copy – with prices going up next year.

Eamonn Donaghy, chief executive of the National Federation of Occupational Pensioners, said: ‘The removal of the free phonebook website for looking up numbers could impact a lot of older people on fixed low incomes.

Consumer expert Sarah Coles of analysts Hargreaves Lansdown (pictured) said: ‘BT could be cutting off a lifeline here. People need to fully understand that calling the 118 number is so expensive’

Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK, (pictured) added: ‘Most older people who we’ve asked say the phone book should be available for free. It’s a very useful resource’

‘Many older people are reliant on the phonebook, so having to pay puts them at a disadvantage. Social contact is very important for older people and a lot of it is done via the phone.’

BT argues that searches on phonebook.com have been steadily declining with most information available on search engines.

It announced it was no longer sending out its printed directory for free as part of its moves to become net zero by 2030.

The company claimed cutting the phone book will save around 6,000 tonnes of paper each year – equivalent to 72,000 trees.

A BT spokesperson said BT printed 18million copies of the phone book every year.

But, as paper-based advertising has plummeted, the number of households using the directory had also dropped.

The broadband and telephone provider first launched its paper phone book in 1880. It has since been printed every year, apart from a brief break between 1913 and 1920.

In its last ever printed phone book, the firm said: ‘We have loved being your local directory online. Online services will also finish.’

Read more