The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is switching from its 0845 telephone number prefix to 0345 as part of a government-wide approach to move away from higher-rate numbers.

The new number is already working and people are urged to start using it. The switch affects the phone numbers for the RPA’s customer service centre; the Procedure for Electronic Application for Certificates (PEACH) helpline, and those for the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS) and Cattle Tracing System (CTS) in England, Wales and Scotland.

The RPA’s new customer service centre telephone number is only one digit different, and is now 0345 603 7777. Anyone calling one of the 0845 numbers after October 1 will hear a message notifying them about the change and giving them the new number to redial.

Other RPA telephone numbers are also changing, including: BCMS English (now 0345 050 1234) BCMS Welsh (now 0345 050 3456) PEACH helpline (now 0345 607 3224) CTS Self Service (now 0345 011 1212) CTS Self Service Welsh (now 0345 011 1213) The RPA will keep up-to-date information available through the GOV.UK website.