If it’s not an emergency, dial 101

From now on, when requiring police assistance for instances such as when cars or property have been stolen, damaged or vandalised, to report a minor road accident, to provide brief information about a crime or to contact neighbourhood police teams, people should dial 101.

The idea of the new number, which is being shared by several forces across the country, is for it to be easier to remember than individual force numbers and to reduce the volume of unneccessary 999 calls.

By the end of the year, 101 will be the number to dial in all parts of England and Wales.

101 does not replace 999, which should still be used in an emergency, when a crime is in progress, when there is a danger to life or when violence is being used or threatened.

The new number will cost 15p from landlines and mobile phones for the entire call, no matter how long it lasts.