0161 Area Code: Who Is Calling You From Manchester?
Paste the 0161 number with +44
Check a 0161 number for free before you call back
Type the number with +44 and drop the first 0, so 0161 becomes +44 161. We tell you the line type, the network when available, scam reports and where the number appears online. No sign-up.
What is the 0161 area code?
0161 is the dialling code for Manchester. The same code covers neighbouring towns in Greater Manchester such as Salford, Stockport, Oldham, Altrincham and Sale. It is a landline code: a 0161 number is never a mobile, because UK mobile numbers start with 07.
| Area | Manchester, plus Salford, Stockport, Oldham, Altrincham and Sale |
|---|---|
| Number format | 0161 xxx xxxx (the code and a 7-digit local number) |
| Calling from abroad | +44 161 xxx xxxx (drop the first 0) |
| Type of line | Landline (geographic number) |
| Old code | 061, until PhONEday on 16 April 1995 |
| Blocks in use (Ofcom) | 686 of 800 blocks of 10,000 numbers |
| Providers holding 0161 blocks | 186 |
| Reserved for TV and radio drama | 0161 496 0000 to 0161 496 0999 |
Sources: Ofcom numbering data, Ofcom numbers for drama and Wikipedia.
Why do so many 0161 numbers call you?
There are a lot of 0161 numbers and they are spread across many companies. Ofcom’s numbering data lists 686 blocks of 0161 numbers in use, each with 10,000 numbers, held by 186 different phone providers. BT holds the most (270 blocks), followed by Vodafone (58), Virgin Media (46), Gamma (32) and GCI (18); the other 181 providers share 262 blocks. Since 2020 Ofcom has handed out 76 new 0161 blocks, mostly to business phone providers such as Gamma, GCI, Colt and BT, and two went to Twilio, a cloud calling platform. That is why a 0161 call can come from a household, a local shop or a company’s call centre using a Manchester number. Sources: Ofcom numbering data (October 2026) and Wikipedia’s history of telephony in Greater Manchester, which describes the 0161 area as having the UK’s second largest number of operators outside London.
Can a 0161 call be faked from abroad?
Scammers abroad used to show fake UK landline numbers on caller ID. In July 2024 Ofcom told phone companies to identify and block calls from abroad that falsely display a UK landline number, and the rule has applied since 29 January 2025. A 0161 call that reaches you today is less likely to be a disguised foreign call, but it can still be a sales, nuisance or scam call made from a UK line. Sources: Ofcom and The Guardian.
What to do about unwanted 0161 calls
Don’t call back a 0161 number you don’t recognise, and never give bank details or a one-time code to someone who called you. If the calls are sales calls, register your number for free with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS). Report nuisance and scam calls to the ICO online or on 0303 123 1113, and forward scam texts to 7726, as Ofcom advises. Lost money to a Manchester-number scam? Tell your bank straight away, then file with Report Fraud, which took over from Action Fraud, at reportfraud.police.uk or on 0300 123 2040.
Calling a 0161 number back costs up to 16p a minute from a landline and 3p to 65p from a mobile if it isn’t in your call package (GOV.UK).
Frequently asked questions about 0161 numbers
Where is the 0161 area code?
0161 is Manchester. It also covers nearby towns in Greater Manchester, such as Salford, Stockport, Oldham, Altrincham and Sale. From abroad it is dialled as +44 161.
Is a 0161 number a mobile?
No. 0161 is a landline (geographic) code, and UK mobile numbers start with 07. A business can still run a 0161 number as an internet phone line (VoIP); the free lookup tells you the line type.
How much does it cost to call a 0161 number?
Calls to 01 and 02 numbers cost up to 16p a minute from a landline and 3p to 65p a minute from a mobile, according to GOV.UK, and they are often included in your call package. Check with your provider.
How can I find out who called me from 0161?
Paste the number into the lookup on this page as +44 161 and the rest of the digits. We show the line type, the network when available, reports from other users and the web pages that mention it, for free and without signing up. We only show a name if it is published online.
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