This guide provides essential contact information for national crisis helplines and prominent supportive organisations.
If you are in immediate danger or a life-threatening situation, always call 999.
Emergency & Urgent Medical Help
- Emergency Services (Police, Fire, Ambulance):
- Call: 999
- When to use: For immediate danger, life-threatening emergencies, or if someone’s immediate safety is at risk.
- NHS 111 (Non-Emergency Medical Advice):
- Call: 111 (Free from any phone)
- When to use: If you need urgent medical help but it’s not a life-threatening emergency. They can advise on where to get help, connect you to a nurse, emergency dentist, or GP, or arrange an ambulance if needed. For urgent mental health support, call 111 and select option 2 in some areas.
- Online: NHS 111 Online
Mental Health & Emotional Support
- Samaritans:
- Purpose: Provides a safe place to talk any time you like, in your own way, about whatever’s on your mind. They are available for anyone struggling to cope.
- Call: 116 123 (Free, 24/7, 365 days a year)
- Email: jo@samaritans.org
- Website: Samaritans
- Papyrus HOPELINE247 (Prevention of Young Suicide):
- Purpose: A confidential support and advice service for children and young people under 35 who are experiencing thoughts of suicide, or for anyone concerned about a young person.
- Call: 0800 068 4141 (Free, 24/7)
- Text: 07860 039967
- Email: pat@papyrus-uk.org
- Website: Papyrus
- CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably):
- Purpose: Leading a movement against suicide, CALM offers a helpline and webchat for men who are down or have hit a wall for any reason.
- Call: 0800 58 58 58 (Free, 5pm to midnight, 365 days a year)
- Webchat: Via their website
- Website: CALM
- SANEline:
- Purpose: Offers emotional support, information, and guidance for anyone affected by mental illness, including family, friends, and carers.
- Call: 0300 304 7000 (4pm to 10pm daily)
- Website: SANE
- Mind:
- Purpose: Provides advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. They also campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding.
- Infoline: 0300 123 3393 (9am to 6pm, Mon-Fri)
- Website: Mind
- Shout 85258:
- Purpose: A free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone struggling to cope.
- Text: “SHOUT” to 85258
- Website: Shout
- YoungMinds:
- Purpose: The UK’s leading charity fighting for children and young people’s mental health. Provides mental health support for young people, parents, and carers.
- Parents Helpline: 0808 802 5544 (9:30am-4pm, Mon-Fri)
- Website: YoungMinds
Domestic Abuse & Sexual Violence Support
- National Domestic Abuse Helpline (operated by Refuge):
- Purpose: Provides a free, confidential, 24-hour helpline for women experiencing domestic abuse.
- Call: 0808 2000 247 (Free, 24/7)
- Online: National Domestic Abuse Helpline (includes webchat)
- BSL Support: Available 10am-6pm, Mon-Fri.
- Women’s Aid:
- Purpose: A national charity working to end domestic abuse against women and children. Offers support and advice.
- Helpline: 0808 2000 247 (operates with Refuge)
- Email: helpline@womensaid.org.uk
- Website: Women’s Aid
- Respect Men’s Advice Line:
- Purpose: Confidential helpline for men experiencing domestic abuse.
- Call: 0808 801 0327 (9am-8pm, Mon-Fri)
- Email: info@mensadviceline.org.uk
- Webchat: Via their website
- Website: Men’s Advice Line
- Rape Crisis England & Wales:
- Purpose: Offers support and services for women and girls who have been raped or experienced another form of sexual abuse.
- National Freephone Helpline: 0808 802 9999 (12 noon-2:30pm and 7pm-9:30pm any day of the year. Also 3pm – 5:30pm on weekdays)
- Website: Rape Crisis England & Wales
- Victim Support:
- Purpose: Provides free and confidential support for all victims of crime, including domestic abuse.
- Supportline: 0808 1689 111 (Free, 24/7)
- Live Chat: Via their website
- Website: Victim Support
Homelessness & Housing Support
- Shelter:
- Purpose: The UK’s leading housing and homelessness charity, offering advice, support, and legal services.
- Helpline: 0808 800 4444 (8am-8pm Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm Sat-Sun)
- Website: Shelter
- Crisis:
- Purpose: The national charity for people experiencing homelessness. They provide direct support and campaign for change.
- Website: Crisis (Has local service finder)
- Centrepoint:
- Purpose: The UK’s leading youth homelessness charity, supporting almost 14,000 young people every year.
- Helpline: 0808 800 0661 (Free, 9am-5pm, Mon-Fri)
- Website: Centrepoint
- Homeless Link:
- Purpose: A national membership charity for organisations working directly with people who become homeless in England. Provides resources and a “Get Help Now” section to find local services.
- Website: Homeless Link
Addiction Support
- FRANK (Drugs & Solvent Misuse):
- Purpose: Provides confidential advice and information about drugs, their effects, and the law.
- Call: 0300 123 6600 (Free, 24/7)
- Text: 82111
- Live Chat: Via their website
- Website: Talk to FRANK
- Drinkline:
- Purpose: National alcohol helpline.
- Call: 0300 123 1110 (Weekdays 9am–8pm, Weekends 11am–4pm)
- Alcoholics Anonymous (AA):
- Purpose: A fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength, and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism.
- Helpline: 0800 917 7650 (24/7)
- Email: help@aamail.org
- Website: Alcoholics Anonymous GB
- GamCare (Gambling Support):
- Purpose: Provides confidential advice, information, and support for anyone affected by problem gambling.
- National Gambling Helpline: 0808 8020 133 (Free, 24/7)
- Live Chat: Via their website
- Website: GamCare
- Narcotics Anonymous (NA):
- Purpose: A fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength, and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from drug addiction.
- Helpline: 0300 999 1212 (Daily, 10am-midnight)
- Website: Narcotics Anonymous UK
Eating Disorder Support
- Beat Eating Disorders:
- Purpose: The UK’s leading eating disorder charity, offering helplines, online support, and information.
- Adult Helpline (England): 0808 801 0677
- Youthline (England): 0808 801 0711
- Studentline (England): 0808 801 0811
- (Specific lines for Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland also available on their website)
- Email: help@beateatingdisorders.org.uk (or specific regional emails)
- Webchat: Via their website
- Opening Hours: Daily, 9am-8pm (weekdays), 4pm-8pm (weekends/bank holidays)
- Website: Beat Eating Disorders
Bereavement Support
- Cruse Bereavement Support:
- Purpose: Offers free confidential support, advice, and information to children, young people, and adults when someone dies.
- Helpline: 0808 808 1677 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm; extended hours Tue/Wed/Thurs until 8pm)
- Website: Cruse Bereavement Support
- Child Bereavement UK:
- Purpose: Supports families and educates professionals when a baby or child dies, or when a child is bereaved.
- Helpline: 0800 02 888 40 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm)
- Website: Child Bereavement UK
- The Good Grief Trust:
- Purpose: Brings together over 100 of the UK’s leading bereavement charities to help the bereaved find their nearest support service.
- Website: The Good Grief Trust
Parenting & Family Support
- Family Lives:
- Purpose: Provides immediate help from volunteer parent support workers for all aspects of family life, including challenging behaviour, family breakdown, and parental mental health.
- Helpline: 0808 800 2222 (Daily 9am-9pm)
- Website: Family Lives
- Gingerbread:
- Purpose: The leading national charity working with single parent families, offering expert advice, practical support, and campaigning for change.
- Helpline: 0808 802 0925 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm)
- Website: Gingerbread
- NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children):
- Purpose: Works to protect children from abuse and neglect. Offers advice and support to parents and carers.
- Helpline: 0808 800 5000 (Mon-Fri 10am-4pm for general advice; urgent concerns should go to local authorities or 999 if immediate danger)
- Website: NSPCC
- Childline (for children and young people): 0800 1111 (Free, 24/7)
Older People’s Support
- Age UK:
- Purpose: Provides information, advice, and support on issues that matter to older people, including money, care, health, and wellbeing.
- Advice Line: 0800 678 1602 (Daily 8am-7pm)
- Website: Age UK
- The Silver Line:
- Purpose: A free, confidential helpline providing information, friendship, and advice to older people, open 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
- Helpline: 0800 470 8090 (Free, 24/7)
- Website: The Silver Line
- Independent Age:
- Purpose: Offers free advice and information for older people, their families, and carers on care and support, money and benefits, and befriending services.
- Helpline: 0800 319 6789 (Mon-Fri 8:30am-5:30pm)
- Website: Independent Age
- Hourglass (Action on Elder Abuse):
- Purpose: Provides a confidential helpline for anyone concerned about the abuse of an older person.
- Helpline: 0808 808 8141 (Free, 24/7)
- Website: Hourglass
Disability Support & Advice
- Scope:
- Purpose: Provides advice and support for disabled people and their families on a range of issues, campaigns for a fairer society.
- Helpline: 0808 800 3333 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm)
- Email: helpline@scope.org.uk
- Website: Scope
- Mencap:
- Purpose: The UK’s leading learning disability charity, working with people with a learning disability and their families and carers.
- Helpline: 0808 808 1111 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm)
- Email: helpline@mencap.org.uk
- Website: Mencap**
- RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People):
- Purpose: Offers information, advice, and support to people with sight loss.
- Helpline: 0303 123 9999 (Mon-Fri 8am-8pm, Sat 9am-1pm)
- Email: helpline@rnib.org.uk
- Website: RNIB
- RNID (Royal National Institute for Deaf People):
- Purpose: A national charity supporting deaf people, people with hearing loss, and people with tinnitus.
- Helpline: 0808 808 0123 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm)
- Text: 0780 0000 360
- Email: helpline@rnid.org.uk
- Website: RNID
- Disability Rights UK:
- Purpose: A leading pan-disability organisation led by, run by, and working for disabled people. Offers advice on rights and independent living.
- Website: Disability Rights UK
LGBTQ+ Support
- Switchboard (The LGBT+ Helpline):
- Purpose: Provides a confidential, free, and non-judgemental listening service for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people.
- Helpline: 0300 330 0630 (Daily 10am-10pm)
- Email: chris@switchboard.lgbt
- Webchat: Via their website
- Website: Switchboard
- Stonewall:
- Purpose: The UK’s leading charity for lesbian, gay, bi, trans, and queer rights, offering information and campaigning for equality.
- Information Service: 0800 050 2020 (Mon-Fri 9:30am-4:30pm)
- Website: Stonewall
- akt (formerly Albert Kennedy Trust):
- Purpose: Supports LGBTQ+ young people aged 16-25 who are experiencing homelessness or living in a hostile environment.
- Live Chat: Via their website (Mon-Fri 10am-5pm)
- Referral Form: Via their website
- Website: akt
- Mermaids:
- Purpose: Supports gender-diverse children and young people (up to 19) and their families.
- Helpline: 0808 801 0400 (Mon-Fri 9am-9pm, Sat-Sun 3pm-9pm)
- Webchat: Via their website
- Website: Mermaids
- Galop:
- Purpose: The UK’s LGBT+ anti-abuse charity, offering support for those who have experienced hate crime, domestic abuse, or sexual violence.
- LGBT+ Hate Crime Helpline: 0207 704 2040
- LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0800 999 5428
- LGBT+ Conversion Therapy Helpline: 0800 130 3335
- Website: Galop
Veterans’ Support
- Veterans’ Gateway:
- Purpose: The first point of contact for veterans seeking support, connecting them with relevant organizations.
- Helpline: 0808 802 1212 (Daily 8am-8pm)
- Live Chat: Via their website
- Website: Veterans’ Gateway
- Combat Stress:
- Purpose: The UK’s leading charity for veterans’ mental health, providing specialist clinical treatment and support.
- Helpline: 0800 138 1619 (Free, 24/7 for veterans and their families)
- Website: Combat Stress
- Help for Heroes:
- Purpose: Supports veterans and their families to recover and get on with their lives.
- Website: Help for Heroes (Provides links to support services)
- The Royal British Legion:
- Purpose: Provides lifelong support for the Armed Forces community – serving men and women, veterans, and their families.
- Helpline: 0808 802 8080 (Daily 8am-8pm)
- Website: The Royal British Legion
General Financial & Benefits Advice
- Citizens Advice:
- Purpose: Provides free, independent, confidential, and impartial advice on a wide range of issues, including benefits, debt, housing, and employment.
- Adviceline (England): 0800 144 8848 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm)
- Adviceline (Wales): 0800 702 2020 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm)
- Website: Citizens Advice (Includes local office finder and webchat)
- Turn2us:
- Purpose: Helps people in financial need gain access to welfare benefits, charitable grants, and other financial help through their website and helpline.
- Website: Turn2us (Benefit calculator and grant search)
- MoneyHelper (from the Money and Pensions Service):
- Purpose: Provides free, impartial advice and guidance on money matters, including budgeting, debt, and pensions.
- Website: MoneyHelper (Includes webchat)
Asylum Seeker & Refugee Support
- British Red Cross (Refugee Support):
- Purpose: Provides practical and emotional assistance to vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers in the UK.
- Website: British Red Cross – Refugee Support (Find support near you tool)
- Refugee Council:
- Purpose: Works with refugees and asylum seekers, advocating for their rights and providing direct services.
- Website: Refugee Council (Includes advice and support finder)
- Migrant Help:
- Purpose: Provides independent advice and support to asylum seekers, refugees, and victims of modern slavery.
- Helpline: 0808 8010 503 (Free, 24/7)
- Website: Migrant Help
Online Safety & Cyberbullying
- UK Safer Internet Centre:
- Purpose: Provides advice and resources for children, parents, and educators on staying safe online, including reporting harmful content.
- Helpline (Professionals/Parents): 0344 381 4772 (Mon-Fri 10am-4pm)
- Website: UK Safer Internet Centre
- Childline:
- Purpose: A free, confidential helpline for children and young people up to 18 to talk about anything that’s bothering them, including online safety and cyberbullying.
- Helpline: 0800 1111 (Free, 24/7)
- Website: Childline (Includes online chat)
- NSPCC (Online Safety specific):
- Purpose: Provides advice and resources for parents on keeping children safe online, covering various online risks.
- Website: NSPCC Online Safety