Alternatives / The Answer Centre
The Answer Centre or While You Work: which suits your business?
The Answer Centre has answered calls for UK businesses since June 2000, from offices in Edinburgh and Wokingham. A small team of PAs, who you get to know by name, answers in your company name, puts callers through to your mobile or landline, or takes a message and sends it to you by email or text. Its Pay As You Go tariff is 99p a call, with no monthly subscription or set-up fee, and it does not charge by the second. The standard hours are 8.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday; cover from 7am to 11pm, seven days a week, costs extra. There is a two-week free trial. Its prices page does not say whether VAT is included.
Prices checked on theanswercentre.co.uk on 24 October 2026. Always confirm current prices with each provider.
Price at a glance
The Answer Centre price compared with While You Work
| The Answer Centre | While You Work | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | 99p a call, no monthly subscription (VAT not stated) | Starter £39, Pro £69, Business £129 a month + VAT |
| At 50 calls a month | £49.50 before any VAT | Starter, £39 + VAT |
| At 100 calls a month | £99 before any VAT | Pro, £69 + VAT |
| Hours | 8.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday; 7am to 11pm seven days a week costs extra | 24 hours a day, 365 days a year |
| Trial | Two weeks free, no payment taken | 7-day free trial with no card, then a 14-day money-back guarantee once you pay |
The short answer
Choose The Answer Centre if you miss a few calls a week in office hours and want a person you know by name on each one: 30 calls a month at 99p is £29.70 before any VAT. Choose While You Work if your calls come in the evening and at weekends as well, or you miss more than about 40 a month. At 50 calls The Answer Centre comes to £49.50 before any VAT against £39 + VAT on our Starter plan, and at 100 calls £99 against £69 + VAT on Pro, which covers up to 150 calls at any hour.
Side by side
The Answer Centre and While You Work compared
| The Answer Centre | While You Work | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | 99p a call on Pay As You Go, no monthly subscription. VAT not stated | Starter £39, Pro £69 or Business £129 a month + VAT. The first 50 UK businesses get Pro for £49 a month + VAT for their first 12 months, then £69 |
| How you pay | Per call answered, not by the second; no set-up fee and no charge for messages | Flat monthly plan with a set number of calls, then a set price for each extra call. A call counts once however long it lasts, up to 10 minutes |
| Who answers | A small team of human PAs you get to know by name | AI receptionist with a separate script and set-up form for each kind of business |
| Hours | 8.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, on the standard tariff; 7am to 11pm, seven days a week, for an extra charge | 24 hours a day, 365 days a year |
| Trial | Two-week free trial, no payment taken | 7-day free trial with no card, up to 30 calls or 60 minutes, then a card keeps the line or it stops. Once you pay, a money-back guarantee: cancel within 14 days of your line going live for a full refund |
| Contract | No fixed monthly subscription on Pay As You Go; its prices page does not mention a minimum term | None, cancel any time |
| After the call | Message by email or text at no extra charge, and an out-of-hours voicemail box in your company name | Details by email a minute after the call on every plan, and on Pro and Business a text straight away for urgent calls, which can also be put through to your phone |
| Call transfer | The PA announces the caller and puts them through to your mobile or direct line | Urgent calls put through to your phone on Pro and Business, if you switch it on |
| Type of service | Human PAs, pay as you go | AI receptionist |
Choose The Answer Centre if
- You want a real person who knows your business on every call
- You miss fewer than about 50 calls a month, mostly between 8.30am and 6pm on weekdays
- You want callers announced and put through to you
- You also want a business address in Edinburgh or Wokingham, which it offers for £35 a month
Choose While You Work if
- Your calls come in the evening and at weekends, not only in office hours
- You miss more than about 40 calls a month and want a plan that includes them
- You want to know the full price, with VAT shown, before you sign up
- You want questions set for your kind of business and urgent calls texted to you straight away
Switching
How to switch in three steps
Check your notice
Look at your current provider’s terms for any notice period or unused credit.
Tell us about your business
A short form for your kind of business: hours, area, services and what callers should be told.
Change your divert
Point divert-on-no-answer at your While You Work number. Your callers keep ringing the same number.
Want the full picture on UK prices? Read how much a call answering service costs in the UK. And how ours works: a call answering service that answers in your name, or a virtual receptionist for the wider job.
Other comparisons: Moneypenny, ReceptionHQ, Jodie, Cyberstaff, Answer.co.uk, Face For Business, Answer4u, IONOS AI Receptionist, Fasthosts AI Receptionist, Vocalenda, Team Connect, AnswerConnect.
Questions
The Answer Centre alternative FAQs
What is The Answer Centre?
The Answer Centre is a UK telephone answering service that started in June 2000 and has offices in Edinburgh and Wokingham. A small team of human PAs answers in your company name, puts callers through to you or takes a message, and sends messages by email or text. It also offers a virtual office address and meeting rooms.
How much does The Answer Centre cost?
Its Pay As You Go tariff is 99p a call, with no monthly subscription and no set-up fee. Messages by email or text are free, and it does not charge by the second. Its prices page does not say whether VAT is included. While You Work is £39 a month + VAT for 50 calls on Starter or £69 + VAT for 150 calls on Pro.
Does The Answer Centre answer out of hours?
Not on the standard tariff. Its own FAQ says PAs answer from 8.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, and that 7am to 11pm, seven days a week, is available for a small extra charge. Outside its hours there is a voicemail box in your company name. While You Work answers 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, on every plan with no after-hours charge.
Is The Answer Centre cheaper than While You Work?
Below about 40 calls a month, yes. 30 calls at 99p is £29.70 before any VAT, against £39 + VAT on our Starter plan. At 50 calls it is £49.50 against £39 + VAT on Starter, and at 100 calls £99 against £69 + VAT on Pro, which covers up to 150 calls.
Sources, checked 24 October 2026: The Answer Centre telephone answering prices, The Answer Centre home and FAQs, The Answer Centre free trial. The Answer Centre is a trademark of its owner. While You Work is not connected with The Answer Centre.
See what it does with your own missed calls
Start a free 7-day trial with no card, or ring 01202 144997 and hear our own receptionist answer. Priced per call, not per minute: Starter £39 and Pro £69 a month plus VAT, with a 7-day trial first and a 14-day money-back guarantee once you pay.