0151 Area Code: Liverpool & Merseyside Dialling Guide

If you’ve spotted a phone number beginning with 0151 and wondered where it’s from, the answer is Liverpool and the wider Merseyside region. The 0151 area code is one of the most recognisable dialling codes in the UK, serving a population of well over a million people across one of England’s most vibrant metropolitan areas. Whether you’re returning a missed call or looking to set up a local business presence, this guide covers everything you need to know about the 0151 telephone area code.

What Area Is 0151?

The 0151 dialing code area covers Liverpool city centre and extends across the Metropolitan Borough of Merseyside. It’s the primary UK area code for one of the country’s most economically significant cities, reaching well beyond the Liverpool boundary into neighbouring towns on both sides of the River Mersey.

Specifically, the 0151 phone code covers:

• Liverpool city centre — the commercial and cultural heart of Merseyside
• Birkenhead — the largest town on the Wirral Peninsula, directly across the Mersey
• Wallasey — a coastal town on the northern tip of the Wirral
• Bootle — immediately north of Liverpool, home to major HMRC offices
• Huyton — a large suburban town in the borough of Knowsley
• Kirkby — a town in Knowsley with significant industrial heritage
• Prescot — a historic market town east of Liverpool
• Crosby — a coastal residential area north of Bootle, famous for the Antony Gormley statues
• Formby — a popular coastal town known for its red squirrel reserve and pine woods

So if someone asks “where is 0151?”, the short answer is Liverpool and greater Merseyside — including parts of both the Wirral and Knowsley.

Towns and Areas Using the 0151 Code

The phone area code 0151 is shared across a broad metropolitan region. Here is a comprehensive list of the main towns and districts that use 0151 numbers:

• Liverpool (all districts — L1 through L38 postcodes)
• Birkenhead
• Wallasey
• Bootle
• Huyton
• Kirkby
• Prescot
• Crosby
• Formby
• Bebington
• Heswall
• Bromborough
• Neston (partially)
• Maghull
• Litherland
• Halewood

This makes the 0151 UK area code one of the most geographically extensive metropolitan codes in England, spanning both banks of the River Mersey.

History of the 0151 Area Code

The 0151 area code was introduced on 16 April 1995 during the national PhONEday renumbering. Before that date, Liverpool’s area code was simply 051. PhONEday added a “1” after the leading zero to all UK geographic area codes, transforming 051 into 0151.

Going back further, Liverpool’s code was originally just 51 in the earliest days of subscriber trunk dialling (STD), introduced in the 1960s. The leading zero was added when the national dialling scheme was standardised. Throughout these changes, the local subscriber numbers remained the same — only the area code prefix changed.

Liverpool was one of the original cities to receive a short two-digit area code, reflecting its importance as a major port city and commercial centre. Today, the 0151 code is firmly associated with Liverpool’s identity in business and culture alike.

How to Dial 0151 Numbers

Dialling an 0151 number is straightforward, but the format differs depending on where you’re calling from:

• From a UK landline or mobile: Dial the full number as written, e.g. 0151 XXX XXXX. You must include the 0151 prefix even if you’re calling from within the Liverpool area when using a mobile phone.
• From within the 0151 area on a landline: You can drop the area code and dial just the local number (XXX XXXX), although dialling the full number also works.
• From abroad: Replace the leading 0 with the UK country code +44. So an 0151 number becomes +44 151 XXX XXXX.

All 0151 numbers have eight digits in total — the four-digit area code (0151) plus a seven-digit local number. Calls to 0151 numbers from UK landlines and mobiles are charged at standard geographic rates and are typically included in bundled minutes.

Getting a 0151 Business Number

A Liverpool phone number lends instant local credibility to any business targeting customers in Merseyside. You don’t need a physical office in Liverpool to use one — modern VoIP technology makes it simple to get a virtual 0151 number that routes calls anywhere.

Related Area Codes Near Liverpool

If you’re operating across the North West, it’s useful to know the neighbouring area codes around Merseyside:

• 01925 — Warrington
• 01744 — St Helens
• 01942 — Wigan
• 01704 — Southport
• 01onal — Chester (01244)
• 01onal — Runcorn/Widnes shares some 0151 coverage

For guides on other major city codes, see our articles on the 0161 area code for Manchester and the 0113 area code for Leeds.

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Frequently Asked Questions