Everything about calling Royal British Legion from abroad
Which Royal British Legion line is which
The Royal British Legion describes itself as the UK's leading Armed Forces charity and says it provides lifelong support to serving and ex-serving personnel and their families. Its helpline, 0808 802 8080, is open 8am to 8pm, 7 days a week: the support team works out what you need and either refers you to an RBL service or gives more personalised, hands-on help. The Membership Team, on 0800 307 7773, handles joining by phone, replacement membership cards, joining more than one branch and other membership queries, Monday to Sunday, 8am to 8pm, excluding Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Membership is open to everyone, whether or not they served.
Support for the Armed Forces community abroad
The RBL says it supports the Armed Forces community wherever they are, and that its advice team, although based across the UK, is there to help wherever you live. Its overseas support page names help with financial pressure, debt and emergency situations, sorting out debts with UK banks, and specialist advice on claiming under the War Pensions Scheme for an injury or illness caused by service. It points out that while advice and preparation can take place remotely, tribunals and hearings are always lodged and heard in the UK. If you cannot pay for an interpreter for medical care or to access state services, its grants scheme may be able to help.
RBL branches outside the UK
The RBL has about 2,100 branches across the UK and overseas, 96 of them outside the UK, which it says are on hand to support serving and ex-serving personnel and their families. Every member must belong to a local or national branch, and the RBL website has a finder for overseas branches.
Calling the RBL from abroad
0808 802 8080 and 0800 307 7773 are UK freephone numbers, and the RBL says calls to the helpline are free from UK landlines and main mobile networks. For callers overseas it prints an ordinary helpline number, +44 20 3376 8080, charged by your own provider, and its Membership FAQs give a separate overseas number for membership, at full rates.
What Losali does with these lines
Losali is an independent dialler that works in a web browser. Your call travels over the internet and Losali's telecom carrier connects it to 0808 802 8080 or 0800 307 7773 in the UK, so all you need is a data connection. There is no app to install and no UK SIM card to buy. Minutes are prepaid and there is no subscription.
- Your service details, or those of the family member you are calling about.
- Your membership details and branch, for a membership query.
- The country you live in, if you are asking about overseas support.
- The hours: helpline 8am to 8pm UK time, 7 days a week.
Other ways in
The helpline team also answers online chat, 8am to 8pm, 7 days a week, and email at info@britishlegion.org.uk. Membership Services are on membershipservices@britishlegion.org.uk, and you can join online through the Membership Self-Service Portal.
What kind of number is this?
Freephone 0800 / 0808. Free to call from inside the UK. Losali shows the price before the call starts.