Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs offers a textphone service for individuals with hearing or speech impairments. This service provides information and support on topics related to the environment, food, and rural affairs. It is available Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 18:00, and on Saturday from 09:00 to 13:00. Users typically call for assistance with specific inquiries related to environmental policies, food standards, or rural development programs. Wait times can vary, with longer delays during peak hours. For quicker service, it is recommended to call during non-peak times, such as early mornings or late afternoons.
Updated 15 Dec 2025
Expected outcomes
- Get environmental policy details
- Inquire about food standards
- Request rural development info
- Seek support for rural affairs
- Clarify environmental regulations
Call preparation
Assemble everything before you dial. These requirements are verified by our call analysts and updated as organizations change their scripts.
- Textphone device
- Nature of enquiry
- Relevant reference numbers
- Contact details
- Access to email
- Pen and paper
Known issues
Users have occasionally reported long wait times when using the textphone service, particularly during peak hours or high-demand periods. To mitigate this, it is advisable to call outside of peak hours or use email for non-urgent queries. The textphone service is specifically designed for users with hearing or speech impairments, and calls may take longer due to the nature of text communication. Ensuring you have all necessary information ready before calling can help streamline the process and reduce the time spent on each call.
