BT has been accused of “ shameless profiteering ” after official figures show that the telecommunications company has raised more than £ 1 m from a phone line designed to help people struggling with the new universal credit system . A Department for Work and Pensions Tim Farron , leader of the Liberal Democrats , said the helpline should be free . In a parliamentary written answer last week , the employment minister Priti Patel said that 1 m calls have been answered by universal credit users manning an 0345 number . BT estimates that this has generated a minimum of £ 1.49 m for BT ( and possibly as much as £ 6.6 m ) because Patel said in her written answer that each call lasts an average of 7mins 29 secs . Calls to 0345 numbers from landlines cost up to 12p a minute and up to 45p a minute from mobiles .
BT has been accused of “ shameless profiteering ” after official figures show that the telecommunications company has raised more than £ 1 m from a phone line designed to help people struggling with the new universal credit system . Tim Farron , leader of the Liberal Democrats , said the helpline should be free . In a parliamentary written answer last week , the employment minister Priti Patel said that 1 m calls have been answered by universal credit users manning an 0345 number . BT estimates that this has generated a minimum of £ 1.49 m for BT ( and possibly as much as £ 6.6 m ) because Patel said in her written answer that each call lasts an average of 7mins 29 secs . Calls to 0345 numbers from landlines cost up to 12p a minute and up to 45p a minute from mobiles .