Mental health affects every one of us. Whether you are struggling yourself or worried about someone else, free and confidential help is available across the UK, and for most of it you do not need a referral.
If a life is at risk right now
Call 999 or go to your nearest A&E. For urgent help that is not life-threatening, call 111 and choose option 2 in England, Wales or Scotland, or call Lifeline on 0808 808 8000 in Northern Ireland. All are open 24 hours a day (Hub of Hope, n.d.).
NHS services
| Service | How it helps | How to access it |
|---|---|---|
| NHS 111, option 2 | In England, your call goes straight to your local mental health crisis team, for all ages, without a separate 111 assessment (NHS England Digital, 2025). Wales and Scotland have a similar service. | Call 111 and choose option 2, 24/7 |
| Your GP | A good first step for anxiety, low mood or depression. Your GP can talk through treatment, prescribe medicine and refer you to specialists. | Contact your GP surgery |
| NHS Talking Therapies | Free talking therapies such as CBT for anxiety and depression, for adults aged 18 or over (16 or over in some areas) who are registered with a GP (NHS, n.d.). | Refer yourself online, without seeing your GP |
Charity helplines
| Organisation | Who it is for | Contact and hours |
|---|---|---|
| Samaritans | Anyone who is struggling and needs to talk | 116 123, free, 24/7 |
| Shout | Anyone in the UK who prefers to text | Text SHOUT to 85258, free, 24/7 |
| CALM | Anyone having a tough time or thinking about suicide | 0800 58 58 58, webchat or WhatsApp, 5pm to midnight every day |
| Mind | Anyone in England and Wales wanting information or support | Infoline 0300 123 3393; Support Line 0300 102 1234; Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm |
| SANEline | People aged 16 or over affected by mental illness, including family and carers | 0300 304 7000, 4pm to 10pm, every day |
| Rethink Mental Illness | Adults in England living with mental illness, and their carers | 0808 801 0525, Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 4pm |
| Childline | Children and young people | 0800 1111, free, 24/7 |
| YoungMinds Parents Helpline | Parents worried about a child's mental health | 0808 802 5544, Monday to Friday from 9:30am (to 6pm Tuesday and Wednesday, 4pm other days) |
All details checked on each organisation's website in September 2026.
Important: Papyrus HOPELINE247 has closed
The young suicide prevention charity Papyrus went into administration in September 2026, and HOPELINE247 is no longer running. Young people can contact Childline, Samaritans or Shout instead (Opus, 2026).
Find local support
Hub of Hope, run by the charity Chasing the Stigma, is a free directory of mental health services. Enter your postcode to find support near you.
Key points
- Most of these services do not need a referral.
- They are free and confidential.
- You can often call, text, webchat or email.
- In an emergency, always call 999.
References
The Campaign Against Living Miserably (n.d.) Suicide prevention helpline. Available at: https://www.thecalmzone.net/suicide-prevention-helpline (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
Childline (n.d.) Contacting Childline. Available at: https://www.childline.org.uk/get-support/contacting-childline/ (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
Hub of Hope (n.d.) Need help now? Available at: https://hubofhope.co.uk/need-help-now (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
Mind (n.d.) Helplines. Available at: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/helplines/ (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
NHS (n.d.) NHS Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/talking-therapies-medicine-treatments/talking-therapies-and-counselling/nhs-talking-therapies/ (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
NHS England Digital (2025) Access to crisis care via NHS 111: mental health, August 2025. Available at: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/access-to-crisis-care-via-nhs-111---mental-health/august-2025 (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
Opus (2026) Papyrus Prevention of Young Suicide (in administration). Available at: https://opusllp.com/restructuring-insolvency/case-papyrus-in-administration/ (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
Rethink Mental Illness (n.d.) Contacting the advice service. Available at: https://www.rethink.org/advice-and-information/about-our-advice-service/contacting-the-advice-service/ (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
Samaritans (n.d.) Contact a Samaritan. Available at: https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/ (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
SANE (n.d.) SANEline services. Available at: https://www.sane.org.uk/how-we-help/emotional-support/saneline-services (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
Shout 85258 (n.d.) Get help. Available at: https://giveusashout.org/get-help/ (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
YoungMinds (n.d.) Parents Helpline. Available at: https://www.youngminds.org.uk/parent/parents-helpline/ (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
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Important medical disclaimer
The content provided in this blog post is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your GP, psychiatrist or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. Never start, stop or change a prescribed medicine without speaking to your prescriber first.
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