Immediate and Affordable Mental Health Support (UK)

This article is intended to help people who are struggling with their mental health, such as suffering general anxiety, panic attacks or depression, prepare for any especially bad moments.

If your or someone else's mental health is an emergency, such as current thoughts of suicide, don't waste time with this article: you can and should call 999. A mental health emergency is just as serious as a physical health emergency. For urgent but non-emergency NHS support, you can call 111. You can also access 111 services online, here.

When I began to write this article, my aim was to provide a list of free mental health help services for those of us who teeter on the edge of both poverty and mental health crisis (two edges so close together might properly be called a tightrope, but never mind). As I got going, I realised I really needed to write two articles: one for immediate support and another for free and low-cost, ongoing mental health support. That second list will be published as soon as possible after this one; check my Vocal profile if you want to see it.

I recommend that, if you have vulnerable mental health, you save these numbers and websites to your phone, so you're prepared for any really low moments. It is better to have the numbers and never have a mental health crisis, than to have the mental health crisis and not the resources.

The services are listed roughly in order of how accessible they are, with free and 24-hour services first, and ones that cost a little or have stricter opening hours lower down. The most vital information, such as the phone number, is bold so you can easily scan for it.

The Samaritans

24 hour crisis support by phone

You might say DUH right about now, because you've almost certainly heard of this service. It's one of the longest-established mental health charities in existence. However, you might not be aware of the full range of services they offer.

Although usually thought of as a suicide prevention hotline, the Samaritans can also help you through other overwhelming issues. They are far from just a helpline, too: you can get in touch with them by email, online chat or even snail mail, and they have an app.

For immediate help, the hotline is still probably the best. Their number is 116123 and it's free from any phone.

The full range of ways to contact them can be accessed through this link.

Stay Alive App

This app can provide both emergency and longer-term support for people who struggle with suicidal thoughts. You can download it here. It has sections for storing emergency contacts such as supportive friends and family members, a 'life box' where you can store photos that remind you of the good things in your life, and quick access to specialist support services.

As well as the standard helplines, they offer access to more specialist support for certain marginalised groups, such as LGBT+ and older people. You can find full details of these specialist hotlines here, or on the app itself.

Local NHS Mental Health Helplines

Urgent mental health support from the NHS

These are specialist lines, in addition to the standard 999 and 111 services. They can help you decide what kind of support you need now and in the future.

In England, the numbers are different depending on your area, and can be found at this link. The helplines are free and 24/7.

In Wales, the service is conveniently named CallHelpline. You can either call them on 0800 132 737 or text HELP to 81066, free and 24/7.

In Scotland, the equivalent service is Breathing Space. Its hours are limited; it is available 6pm-2am Monday to Thursday and all weekend, from 6pm Friday to 6am Saturday. The number is 0800 83 85 87. There is also a pilot webchat service on their website.

Shout (Text Service)

24 hour text support

Shout is another service that you can access 24/7. Simply send a text message to 85258 and wait to be put in touch with a volunteer. They aim to connect you within 10 minutes, but it can be a little longer at times.

It's obviously not the best option for really talking through your problems; SMS's are necessarily short and to the point. They can help you with practical tasks like grounding exercises, which can calm you down when you're having an anxiety attack.

My Black Dog

Webchat with peer volunteers, evenings

MyBlackDog.co is a little different. It's a webchat service for any adult struggling with their mental health, accessed simply through their website. They do have limited opening hours, mostly concentrated in the evenings. They're a good choice if you're not good on the phone or can't risk being overheard.

If you need support outside their opening hours, you can leave them a message. They also have a page full of 'coping content', including a lockdown survival guide and podcasts to listen to.

C.A.L.M. (Campaign Against Living Miserably)

Free helpline and webchats, evenings

When C.A.L.M. was first launched, much of its advertising was aimed at men. That's because, in the UK, 75% of suicide victims are male; C.A.L.M. aimed to break down stereotypes suggesting men didn't or shouldn't ask for help. In line with that aim, their website is also a particularly great resource for help with men's issues, including male body image.

That said, they can offer support to everyone, including those bereaved by suicide or suffering from other mental health issues. Their helpline and webchat are open from 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year. The helpline number is 0800 58 58 58 and the webchat can be accessed here. Both services are completely free. They also have an extensive list of support services for specific issues, such as eating disorders, debt and housing problems, here.

No Panic

Helplines, daytime and evenings; crisis line, 24/7

The No Panic support helplines are not really free, but they are 03 numbers, which means they're included in your mobile minutes or charged at a local rate from a landline. They're open from 10am to 10pm, and the numbers are as follows:

• Main helpline: 0300 772 9844
• Youth helpline: 0330 606 1174 (for 13-20 year olds)
• Crisis message (a recorded breathing exercise to help you if you're panicking right now): 01952 680835

The main helpline will play the crisis message if you call outside of the usual opening times.

Email support is also available, with a reply within 48 hours. The address is [email protected], or you can message through the contact form on their website (it's at the very bottom of the page).

Outside of an actual crisis, they have an impressive amount of information and a lot of useful resources that you can read through to help you understand the specific issues you have, such as OCD or phobias. If you tend towards the hypochondriac, like me, you might love their symptom checker as much as I do. It details many of the possible effects of anxiety so you can double-check (Hah! Who are we kidding? Quintuple-check.) that you're not dying.

Anxiety UK Helpline

Helplines, during office hours

Anxiety UK has some really helpful ongoing support services, which I'll write more about when I tackle ongoing support.

In the short term, you can call their helpline on 03444 775 774 from 9.30am-5.30am, Monday to Friday. As an 03 number, calls are charged at local rates; they're included in your mobile call plan if you have one. They also have a live web chat service that operates in the same hours. They make it clear on their website that they are not a counselling service; web chats are limited to 10 minutes. They can help you with immediate anxiety symptoms, or help you work out a plan to get ongoing support from themselves or other sevices.

If you can wait a bit longer for a reply, there are other options for getting in touch with them, including text and email. You can read more about these here.

Mind Infoline and Online Support

Information and advice, office hours

The Mind Infoline is a signposting and support service. They can help you to find services near you, condition-specific support services, advocacy services and advice on treatment. You can contact them from 9am to 6pm on weekdays, excluding bank holidays. The number is 03001233393.

Alternatively, you can contact the same service by email at [email protected], or by post to: Mind Infoline, PO Box 75225, London, E15 9FS.

They also have a peer support service called Side by Side, where you can chat with other people with similar issues online. You can find out more and join here.

I'm sure this list is not exhaustive; you can find more specialist services through the Stay Alive app, the Mind Infoline and C.A.L.M.

I really hope this list has helped you find a service that helps you, or at least reminded you that there are many people out there who are ready and willing to help you, whenever you're ready to reach out.