This page brings together trusted UK support links for people looking for mental health information, emotional support, counselling options, talking therapies, or guidance on where to start.
Some services are national, while others depend on where you live, your age, your needs, waiting times and local eligibility. Always check directly with the NHS, your GP, local mental health services or the organisation listed to confirm what support is available in your area.
Important safety note
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 999 or go to A&E.
If you need urgent mental health help and it is not a 999 emergency, contact NHS 111, speak to your GP, or use your local NHS urgent mental health support service.
If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide, self-harm, psychosis, extreme distress, confusion, feeling unsafe, or a sudden change in your mental health, please seek professional support as soon as possible.
Where to start
If you are unsure where to begin, a good starting point is your GP, NHS mental health services, NHS Talking Therapies if available in your area, or a trusted mental health charity such as Mind or Rethink Mental Illness.
The Recovery Space provides education, self-help tools and neutral signposting only. We do not provide counselling, therapy, mental health assessment, diagnosis, treatment, crisis support, safeguarding support or one-to-one support.
What they help with: Free, confidential support and information for women experiencing domestic abuse, including help thinking through options, safety, refuge routes and next steps. Refuge runs the National Domestic Abuse Helpline.
Who it may help: Women experiencing domestic abuse, people worried about someone else, and professionals looking for domestic abuse information and signposting.
Location / Coverage: England, with national online information. Visitors in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland should also check their nation-specific services.
Contact details: Use the official National Domestic Abuse Helpline or Refuge website for current phone, live chat and contact options.
Best starting point advice: A strong starting point for women experiencing domestic abuse who need confidential support and information about options.
National Domestic Abuse Helpline / Refuge
Start Here...
These links are useful starting points if you are unsure what support you need or where to begin.
What they help with: Information and support around domestic abuse, safety planning, understanding abuse, survivor resources, local services and support for women and children.
Who it may help: Women experiencing or recovering from domestic abuse, people trying to understand domestic abuse, and anyone looking for safety planning information or local support routes.
Location / Coverage: England-focused national charity and federation, with information that may also be useful more widely. Local service availability varies.
Contact details: Use the Women's Aid website for information, support resources, live chat details where available and local service information.
Best starting point advice: Useful for understanding domestic abuse, making a safety plan and finding survivor-focused information.
Women's Aid
What they help with: Confidential advice, emotional support, practical information and signposting for male victims of domestic abuse and those supporting them.
Who it may help: Men experiencing domestic abuse, including trans and non-binary people who feel this is the right service for them, as well as friends, family and professionals supporting male victims.
Location / Coverage: UK-wide information and support service.
Contact details: Use the Men's Advice Line website for current helpline, webchat, email and access options.
Best starting point advice: A strong starting point for male victims of domestic abuse who want confidential, non-judgemental support.
Men's Advice Line
What they help with: Support for LGBT+ people experiencing abuse or violence, including domestic abuse, hate crime, sexual violence, conversion practices and other forms of abuse.
Who it may help: LGBT+ victims and survivors of abuse and violence, including people affected by domestic abuse or coercive control.
Location / Coverage: UK-wide LGBT+ anti-abuse charity.
Contact details: Use the Galop website for current helpline, advocacy, support service and contact options.
Best starting point advice: A strong starting point for LGBT+ people who need specialist abuse support from a service that understands LGBT+ experiences.
Galop
What they help with: Confidential support for anyone in Scotland experiencing domestic abuse or forced marriage, as well as family members, friends, colleagues and professionals supporting someone else.
Who it may help: People in Scotland affected by domestic abuse or forced marriage, including women, men, LGBT+ people, disabled people, young people and people with immigration or asylum concerns, including people affected by domestic abuse or coercive control.
Location / Coverage: Scotland.
Contact details: Use the official helpline website for current phone, text, WhatsApp, email, chat and language access options.
Best starting point advice: A strong starting point for anyone in Scotland affected by domestic abuse or forced marriage.
Scotland's Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline
What they help with: Support and advice about domestic abuse, sexual violence and violence against women, including help for people experiencing abuse, people worried about someone else and practitioners seeking advice.
Who it may help: People in Wales affected by domestic abuse, sexual violence, coercive control or related forms of violence, including friends, family members and professionals.
Location / Coverage: Wales.
Contact details: Use the official Live Fear Free website for current phone, live chat, text, email, Welsh language, English language and other language access options.
Best starting point advice: A strong starting point for people in Wales who need confidential domestic abuse or sexual violence support.
Live Fear Free - Wales
What they help with: Information, advice and support for people affected by domestic or sexual abuse in Northern Ireland, including people experiencing abuse, people worried about someone else and professionals.
Who it may help: Men and women in Northern Ireland affected by domestic or sexual violence, as well as friends, relatives and services supporting someone else.
Location / Coverage: Northern Ireland.
Contact details: Use the official NI direct or Domestic and Sexual Abuse Helpline website for current phone, email, webchat and support options.
Best starting point advice: A strong starting point for anyone in Northern Ireland affected by domestic or sexual abuse.
NI Domestic and Sexual Abuse Helpline
Safety Note
The Recovery Space provides education, self-help tools and signposting only. We do not provide domestic abuse advice, legal advice, safeguarding support, risk assessment, crisis support, emergency accommodation, advocacy, counselling or one-to-one support.
Domestic abuse and coercive control can involve physical, emotional, sexual, financial, psychological or digital abuse. Support needs can change quickly, so please check directly with each organisation for the most up-to-date information, contact options and service availability.
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 999. If it is not safe to use your own phone or device, consider using a safer device, a trusted person, a public service, or official safety guidance where possible.
Be aware that browsing history, messages, call logs, location settings and shared devices may be monitored by an abusive person. Use official website safety and quick-exit guidance where available.
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