diff --git a/app/inbound_sms/rest.py b/app/inbound_sms/rest.py
index 0ee2b9e90..8ebcff298 100644
--- a/app/inbound_sms/rest.py
+++ b/app/inbound_sms/rest.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ from flask import (
     jsonify,
     request
 )
-from notifications_utils.recipients import normalise_phone_number
+from notifications_utils.recipients import validate_and_format_phone_number
 
 from app.dao.inbound_sms_dao import dao_get_inbound_sms_for_service, dao_count_inbound_sms_for_service
 from app.errors import register_errors
@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@ def get_inbound_sms_for_service(service_id):
     user_number = request.args.get('user_number')
 
     if user_number:
-        user_number = normalise_phone_number(user_number)
+        # we use this to normalise to an international phone number
+        user_number = validate_and_format_phone_number(user_number)
 
     results = dao_get_inbound_sms_for_service(service_id, limit, user_number)
 
diff --git a/app/notifications/receive_notifications.py b/app/notifications/receive_notifications.py
index cbe17e09e..d053a4198 100644
--- a/app/notifications/receive_notifications.py
+++ b/app/notifications/receive_notifications.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ from urllib.parse import unquote
 
 import iso8601
 from flask import jsonify, Blueprint, current_app, request
-from notifications_utils.recipients import normalise_phone_number
+from notifications_utils.recipients import validate_and_format_phone_number
 
 from app import statsd_client
 from app.dao.services_dao import dao_fetch_services_by_sms_sender
@@ -64,8 +64,8 @@ def format_mmg_datetime(date):
 
 
 def create_inbound_mmg_sms_object(service, json):
-    message = format_mmg_message(json['Message'])
-    user_number = normalise_phone_number(json['MSISDN'])
+    message = format_message(json['Message'])
+    user_number = validate_and_format_phone_number(json['MSISDN'])
 
     provider_date = json.get('DateRecieved')
     if provider_date:
diff --git a/tests/app/db.py b/tests/app/db.py
index cdc0d7a79..8fcced1b1 100644
--- a/tests/app/db.py
+++ b/tests/app/db.py
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ def create_service_permission(service_id, permission=EMAIL_TYPE):
 def create_inbound_sms(
     service,
     notify_number=None,
-    user_number='7700900111',
+    user_number='447700900111',
     provider_date=None,
     provider_reference=None,
     content='Hello'
diff --git a/tests/app/inbound_sms/test_rest.py b/tests/app/inbound_sms/test_rest.py
index 70acaddd2..25f5d7cff 100644
--- a/tests/app/inbound_sms/test_rest.py
+++ b/tests/app/inbound_sms/test_rest.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 from datetime import datetime
 
+import pytest
 from freezegun import freeze_time
 
 from tests.app.db import create_inbound_sms, create_service
@@ -46,14 +47,19 @@ def test_get_inbound_sms_limits(admin_request, sample_service):
     assert sms['data'][0]['id'] == str(two.id)
 
 
-def test_get_inbound_sms_filters_user_number(admin_request, sample_service):
-    # user_number in the db is normalised
-    one = create_inbound_sms(sample_service, user_number='7700900001')
-    two = create_inbound_sms(sample_service, user_number='7700900002')
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('user_number', [
+    '(07700) 900-001',
+    '+4407700900001',
+    '447700900001',
+])
+def test_get_inbound_sms_filters_user_number(admin_request, sample_service, user_number):
+    # user_number in the db is international and normalised
+    one = create_inbound_sms(sample_service, user_number='447700900001')
+    two = create_inbound_sms(sample_service, user_number='447700900002')
 
     sms = admin_request.get(
         'inbound_sms.get_inbound_sms_for_service',
-        endpoint_kwargs={'service_id': sample_service.id, 'user_number': '(07700) 900-001'}
+        endpoint_kwargs={'service_id': sample_service.id, 'user_number': user_number}
     )
 
     assert len(sms['data']) == 1
diff --git a/tests/app/notifications/test_receive_notification.py b/tests/app/notifications/test_receive_notification.py
index 5d93e5fd3..317d9452e 100644
--- a/tests/app/notifications/test_receive_notification.py
+++ b/tests/app/notifications/test_receive_notification.py
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ def test_create_inbound_mmg_sms_object(sample_service):
 
     assert inbound_sms.service_id == sample_service.id
     assert inbound_sms.notify_number == 'foo'
-    assert inbound_sms.user_number == '7700900001'
+    assert inbound_sms.user_number == '447700900001'
     assert inbound_sms.provider_date == datetime(2017, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
     assert inbound_sms.provider_reference == 'bar'
     assert inbound_sms._content != 'hello there 📩'