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Where is the 101 service available?

The 101 service is currently available in the following areas:

• Wales
• Hampshire and the Isle of Wight
• Sheffield

If you have a non-emergency problem to report but the 101 service is not available in your area, you should contact your local police force.

Your phone call to 101 will cost 10p from both landlines and mobile phones.

You can find more information about reporting crimes and finding your local police force using the links below.

• Reporting a crime

• Find a police force, neighbourhood policing team or police authority

Why is a number for reporting non-emergency crimes needed?

The 101 number for reporting non-emergency crimes was developed because a large number of calls to 999 are not emergencies. If you report non-emergency crimes to 101, it means the emergency services can concentrate on providing people with the help they need.

101 was chosen as the phone number because it is simple and easy to remember.

What you can report using 101

The 101 phone line can help you with advice and information on community safety and anti-social behaviour issues. The service is different depending on where you live.

In Wales, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, call 101 if you need to:

• report a non-emergency crime
• report anti-social behaviour
• report drunken or rowdy behaviour
• report dangerous driving
• speak to the police about a general enquiry

In Sheffield, call 101 if you have problems with:

• vandalism and graffiti
• noise nuisance
• threatening and abusive behaviour
• abandoned vehicles
• dumping and fly tipping
• drunk and rowdy groups
• drug related anti-social behaviour
• broken street lighting

You can find more information on 101 in Wales by following the link below.

• 101 in Wales Opens new window

When you should use 999 instead

You should call 999 if:

• violence is being used or threatened
• there is danger to life
• a crime is in progress or offenders carrying out a crime have recently been disturbed
• there has been a road accident where people are injured, or there has been a accident that has affected traffic

If you call 101 but you are reporting an emergency, you will be directed to the 999 service.

Using the 101 service if you have speech or hearing impairments

If you are in a 101 area and have a speech or hearing impairment, you can report a problem using the Text Direct/TypeTalk service by calling 18001 101.