I'm struggling. Where can I get support?

Shelter offers housing advice and an emergency helpline if you

• are homeless
• have nowhere to stay tonight
• are worried about losing your home in the next two months
• are at risk of harm or abuse.

Emergency helpline: 0808 800 4444 (Monday to Friday, 8am — 6pm | Closed bank holidays and weekends)

Website (live chat support available): shelter.org.uk

Reuse centres stock high-quality, affordable household items including furniture, electrical appliances, IT equipment and more.

Find a Reuse centre near you

Alcoholics Anonymous offers support for people facing an alcohol dependency.

Call: 0800 9177 650 (open 24/7, free of charge)
Email: [email protected]
Website (live chat support available but not staffed 24/7): alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk

Ascert Northern Ireland is an organisation dedicated to addressing alcohol and drug-related issues, reducing harm and supporting positive change.

Call: 0800 254 5123
Website: ascert.biz

Gamblers Anonymous offers support for people facing a gambling dependency.

England, Wales, NI
Call: 0330 094 0322 (standard landline rate)
Website: gamblersanonymous.org.uk
Physical Meetings Finder tool here

Scotland
Call: 0370 050 8881 (standard landline rate)
Website: gascotland.org

GamCare is the website of the National Gambling Helpline, offering confidential support and advice for anyone affected by gambling problems in England, Scotland and Wales.

Call: 0808 8020 133 24/7 (free of charge)
Website: gamcare.org.uk

Narcotics Anonymous offers support for people facing a drug dependency.

Call: 0300 999 1212 (10am — midnight, every day, standard landline rate)
Website: ukna.org

Lifeline is the Northern Ireland crisis response helpline service for people who are experiencing distress or despair.

Call: 0808 808 8000 (24/7, free of charge)
Website: lifelinehelpline.info

PIPS supports individuals in Northern Ireland who are considering, or have at some point considered, ending their own lives, as well as offering support to those whose lives have been touched by suicide.

Call: 0800 088 6042 free of charge. 9 am‑9 pm Mon-Fri; 10 am‑6 pm Sat-Sun. Friday night helpline 9pm-10am Sat.
Email: [email protected]
Website: pipscharity.com

Samaritans provides confidential support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair.

Call: 116 123 (open 24/7, free of charge)
Email: [email protected]
Website: samaritans.org
Freepost write a letter service

SHOUT is a confidential, text-based support service, offering support 24/7. It is free to text from all major mobile networks in the UK.

Text: SHOUT to 85258 (open 24/7)
Website (live chat support available): giveusashout.org

Care For The Family provides bereavement support for parents, siblings and partners.

Call: 029 2081 0800 (9am — 4:30pm, Mon to Fri, standard network rate. Say that you’d like to speak to a CareLine Advisor)
Email: [email protected]
Website: careforthefamily.org.uk/family-life/bereavement-support

Cruse Bereavement Care offers support, advice and information to children, young people and adults when someone dies.

Call: 0808 808 1677 (free of charge). Mon, Weds, Thurs, Fri – 9.30am – 5pm.
Tues – 1pm-8pm
Website: cruse.org.uk

The Child Bereavement Charity provides support for families facing the loss of a child, and for children who are grieving.

Call: 0800 028 8840 (free of charge)
Email: [email protected]
Website (live chat support available): childbereavementuk.org

Hours for live chat, email and helpline are Mon-Fri 9 am‑5 pm.

The Compassionate Friends UK is a peer support group for bereaved families.

Call: 0345 123 2304 (standard landline rate). UK helpline hours: 10 am‑4 pm and 7 pm-10 pm, 365 days a year
Email: [email protected]
Website: tcf.org.uk

SAMM provides support for families bereaved by murder and manslaughter.

Call: 0121 472 2912 (standard network rate)
Text: 07342 888 570
Website: samm.org.uk

Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide exists to meet the needs and overcome the isolation experienced by people over 18 who have been bereaved by suicide.

Call: 0300 111 5065, every day 9 am‑7 pm; 

Email address: [email protected]

Website: uksobs.org

Widowed and Young (WAY) provides support for people under 50 facing the loss of their spouse.
Website: widowedandyoung.org.uk

CALM is the Campaign Against Living Miserably, for men aged 15 to 35.

Call: 0800 58 58 58 (5pm — midnight, every day, free of charge)
Website (live chat support available): thecalmzone.net

Men’s Health Forum provides 24/7 support for men by text, chat and email.

Website: menshealthforum.org.uk

Men’s Sheds Association promotes men’s health and wellbeing through local ​‘sheds’ across the UK, offering community activities (think woodwork, metalwork, repairing and restoring, electronics etc) and projects to take part in while connecting with others.

Website: menssheds.org.uk

Women’s Aid offer support to thousands of women and children experiencing domestic abuse every year.

Email: [email protected]
Website: womensaid.org.uk/information-support (live chat support available)

Women’s Aid Federation NI provides services for women and children experiencing domestic abuse in Northern Ireland.

Website: womensaidni.org (web chat available Mon to Fri, 9am – 5pm, with a daily break between 1pm-2pm)

Anxiety UK provides support for people with an anxiety condition. You can access therapy and resources.

Website: anxietyuk.org.uk

Beat provides support for people facing eating disorders. Hours for all helplines: Mon-Fri 3 pm‑8 pm

England
Call: 0808 801 0677 (free of charge)

Scotland
Call: 0808 801 0432 (free of charge)

Wales
Call: 0808 801 0433 (free of charge)

NI
Call: 0808 801 0434 (free of charge)

Website (live chat support available): beateatingdisorders.org.uk

Bipolar UK helps people living with manic depression or bipolar disorder.

Website: bipolaruk.org

Mencap supports people with a learning disability, their families and carers.

England & Scotland
Call: 0808 808 1111 (10am — 3pm, Mon to Fri, free of charge)
Email: [email protected]

NI
Call: 0808 808 1111 (9am — 3pm, Mon to Fri, free of charge, choose ​‘option 2’)
Email: [email protected]

Wales
Call: 0808 8000 300 (free of charge)
Email: [email protected]

Website: mencap.org.uk

No Panic provides support for sufferers of panic attacks and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

Call: 0300 772 9844 (10am — 10pm, every day, standard landline rate)
Website: nopanic.org.uk

OCD Action exists to support those living with OCD.

Call: 0300 636 5478 (standard landline charges). Mon – Fri 9.30am – 8pm. If there’s no answer, leave a message and someone will get back in touch with you.
Email: [email protected]
Website: ocdaction.org.uk

OCD UK is run by people with OCD for people with OCD.

Call: 01332 588 112 (UK helpline hours: 10 am-12 pm Mon-Fri, and 5 pm‑7 pm Tues & Thurs)
Email: [email protected]
Website: ocduk.org

Action Mental Health actively promotes and supports the mental health and well-being of people in Northern Ireland.

Website: amh.org.uk

Aware NI is the depression charity for Northern Ireland.

Email: [email protected]
Website: aware-ni.org
Find your nearest support group

Breathing Space offers a confidential phone line for anyone in Scotland over the age of 16 that is feeling low, anxious or depressed.

Call: 0800 83 85 87 (6pm — 2am Mon to Thurs, 6pm Fri — 6am Monday, free of charge) Website: breathingspace.scot
Webchat available Mon to Fri 6pm — 2am. Sat and Sun, 4pm — 12am

Inspire NI works with people in Northern Ireland living with mental ill health, intellectual disability, autism and addictions to ensure they live with dignity and realise their full potential. 

Call: 0808 189 0036 (free of charge, Mon to Fri 10am — 4pm)
Email: [email protected]
Website: inspirewellbeing.org (web chat available)

Kintsugi Hope is a UK Christian charity working alongside local churches to run mental health wellbeing support groups (services are available to everyone, regardless of faith).

Call: 01245 363606 (charges apply)
Website: kintsugihope.com

Mental Health Foundation provides information and support for anyone with mental health problems or learning disabilities.

Website: mentalhealth.org.uk

Mind offers support with all kinds of mental health issues.

Call: 0300 123 3393 (9am — 6pm, Mon to Fri, excluding bank holidays, standard landline rate)
Email: [email protected]
Website: mind.org.uk
Webchat is also available on Mind’s website.

Mind and Soul Foundation is a Christian charity providing advice and support for mental and spiritual health and wellbeing (services are available to everyone, regardless of faith).

Website: mindandsoulfoundation.org

MindWise supports and empowers people affected by mental health issues to live their best lives.

Website: mindwisenv.org

Find NHS mental health services, support and information in England.

Website: nhs.uk/mental-health
Find your local urgent mental health helpline: nhs.uk/service-search/mental-health/find-an-urgent-mental-health-helpline

Find NHS mental health services, support and information in Scotland. 

Website: nhsinform.scot

Rethink Mental Illness provides advice for people living with mental illness.

Call: 0808 801 0525 (9:30am — 4pm, Mon to Fri, free of charge)
Email: [email protected]
Website (web advice chat available): rethink.org

SANE provides emotional support and information for people affected by mental illness, their families and carers.

Call: 0300 304 7000; hours 4 pm-10 pm every day (standard charges apply)
Email: [email protected]
Website: sane.org.uk
Textcare service available

The Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH) offer resources and information for those struggling with their mental health in Scotland.

Website: samh.org.uk/find-help

Age UK offers an advice line for elderly people.

UK-wide
Call: 0800 055 6112
Webchat also available (8am — 7pm, every day, free of charge)
Website: ageuk.org.uk

Scotland
Call: 0800 12 44 222 (9am — 5pm, Mon to Fri, free of charge)
Email: [email protected]
Website: ageuk.org.uk/scotland

Wales
Call: 0300 303 44 98 (9am — 4pm, Mon to Fri, standard landline rate)
Email: [email protected]
Website: ageuk.org.uk/cymru

NI
Call: 0808 808 7575 (9am — 5pm, Mon to Fri, free of charge)
Email: [email protected]
Website: ageuk.org.uk/northern-ireland

Independent Age also offers an advice line for elderly people.

Call: 0800 319 6789 (free of charge) helpline hours — 8:30 am‑5:30 pm Mon-Fri
Email: [email protected]
Website: independentage.org — webchat is also available on the website

Re-engage provides support for older people facing loneliness and isolation.

Website: reengage.org.uk

The Silver Line offers information, friendship and support for older people.

Call: 0800 470 80 90 (open 24/7, free of charge)
Website: thesilverline.org.uk

Family Lives offers advice on all aspects of parenting, including dealing with bullying.

Call: 0808 800 2222 (free of charge)
Email: [email protected]
Website (live chat support available): familylives.org.uk
WhatsApp support service: 07441 444125. Mon to Fri, 9am — 9pm.

Nexus offers a helpline, counselling, education and training for those affected by sexual trauma in Northern Ireland.

Call: 028 9032 6803
Email: [email protected]
Website: nexusni.org

Rape Crisis England & Wales offers information, help and support after rape, sexual assault or sexual abuse for those in England and Wales.

Call: 0808 802 9999 (open 24/7, free of charge)
Website (live chat support available): rapecrisis.org.uk

Rape Crisis Northern Ireland is a support service for anyone who is 18 and over and has experienced serious sexual assault and rape in adulthood.

Call: 0800 0246 991 (free of charge, Mon to Thurs 6pm — 8pm)
Email: [email protected]
Website: rapecrisisni.org.uk

Rape Crisis Scotland offers information, help and support after rape, sexual assault or sexual abuse for those in Scotland.

Call: 08088 01 03 02 open 24/7, free of charge. Hours: 5 pm-midnight daily.
Text number: 07537 410 027
Website: rapecrisisscotland.org.uk
Email: [email protected]

Scotland’s Domestic Abuse & Forced Marriage Helpline offers sensitive, confidential support to anyone experiencing domestic abuse or forced marriage, as well as their family members, friends, colleagues and professionals.

Call: 0800 027 1234 (open 24/7, free of charge)
Text/​WhatsApp: 07401288595
Email: [email protected] (live chat support available)
Website: sdafmh.org.uk

Refuge provides specialist services for those facing domestic abuse.

Call: 0808 2000 247 (open 24/7, free of charge)
Website (live chat support available): refuge.org.uk

Relate is the UK’s largest provider of relationship support.

Website: relate.org.uk/relationship-help/talk-someone

Relate NI is Northern Ireland’s largest provider of relationship support.

Website: relateni.org

Victim Support helps victims of abuse, fraud, and other injustices.

Call: 0808 168 9111 (open 24/7, free of charge)
Website (live chat support available): victimsupport.org.uk

Victim Support Scotland offers free, confidential support to those affected by crime in Scotland.

Call: 0800 160 1985 (8am — 8pm, Mon to Fri, 10am — 4pm Sat to Sun. Free of charge)
Website: victimsupport.scot/information-support/get-support/how-we-can-help

ChildLine is a counselling service for under 19s.

Call: 0800 1111 (open 24/7, free of charge)
Website (live chat support available): childline.org.uk

NSPCC is dedicated to ending child abuse and child cruelty.

For children
Call: 0800 1111 (open 24/7, free of charge)

For adults concerned about a child
0808 800 5000 (Mon-Fri 11am-5pm, free of charge)
Website: nspcc.org.uk
Email: [email protected]

The Mix offers advice about sex, relationships, drugs, mental health, money and jobs for under 25s.

Text: THEMIX to 85258
Website: themix.org.uk

Young Minds provides information on child and adolescent mental health and services for parents and professionals.

For young people
Text SHOUT to 85258

For parents
Call: 0808 802 5544 (9.30am — 4pm on Mon, Thurs and Fri. 9.30am — 6pm on Tues and Weds. Free of charge. Typetalk, Textdirect and interpreters available)
Email: [email protected]

Website (live chat support available): youngminds.org.uk