Crime victims told to call 101 - and pay Javed Khan, chief executive of Victim Support, said: "Charging 15p could turn a good idea into a self defeating one, with people either phoning 999 or not bothering to report a crime at all. Over 50 per cent of crime goes unreported and we need to be careful we don't deter people from reporting it. This could lead to some victims and witnesses of crime suffering in silence or the police being unable to get a proper picture of crime in their community. The 101 line was first launched as a pilot scheme by the last Labour Government, when it cost 10p to call, but was abandoned in 2007 because it did not reduce the number of 999 calls. Two thirds of calls were also deemed inappropriate, including people asking for bus times. Last year the Coalition revived the scheme and began a national roll out, which has now been completed. The public is being told to now only call 999 if "a crime is in progress, when someone suspected of a crime is nearby, when there is danger to life or when violence is being used or threatened." Emergency operators may tell people to hang up and call 101 if it is not an emergency. Only one in four calls to 999 need an immediate response. Roy Rudham, chairman of the UK Neighbourhood Watch Trust, backed the principle of having a single alternative number for across the country and said most members of the public would not mind paying. However, he added those affected by persistent problems who have to call the police on a regular basis would be hit most. Guy Dehn, director of the charity Witness Confident, said: "The worry for us is a lot of people may be put off calling if they are going to have to pay." Unlike its predecessor, the 101 line is self-funding, with the set charge, regardless of whether from a landline or mobile, going to phone companies. Some 2.5 million calls have been made already, earning firms more than £370,000. However, the Home Office insisted the line will prove cheaper for many as almost half of police forces currently have premium numbers for reporting crime. Nick Herbert, the policing minister, said: "The introduction of the 101 number marks one of the most significant changes in the way people contact the police since 999 was introduced nearly 70 years ago. Until the launch of the 101 number, the public were charged up to 40p per minute to call 0845 numbers to get through to their local police forces. At a flat rate of 15p per call from both mobile phones and landlines, no matter how long the call lasts or what time of day, for many this will be cheaper than the previous cost of calling the police for non-emergencies. Commander Ian Dyson, of the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo), said: "Having just two phone numbers - 101 for reporting a crime that has happened, to get advice or to raise local policing issues - or 999 if it's an emergency, makes calling the police a lot easier and makes our services more accessible."