This page brings together trusted UK support links for people affected by alcohol use, drug use, cravings, dependence, relapse concerns, harm reduction, treatment options, peer support and support for family or friends.
Some services are national, while others only operate in certain areas. Always check directly with the organisation, local council, NHS, Talk to FRANK, or your local drug and alcohol service finder to confirm what support is available where you live.
Important safety note
If you are physically dependent on alcohol, benzodiazepines or other substances, stopping suddenly can be dangerous. Please seek medical advice before stopping or reducing use, especially if you have withdrawal symptoms, seizures, confusion, shaking, hallucinations, chest pain, severe anxiety or other serious symptoms.
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 999.
If you need urgent medical advice and it is not a 999 emergency, contact NHS 111.
Where to start
If you are unsure where to begin, a good starting point is to use NHS guidance, Talk to FRANK, or a local drug and alcohol service finder. You can also contact a local treatment provider directly if they operate in your area.
The Recovery Space provides education, self-help tools and neutral signposting only. We do not provide medical advice, detox advice, clinical assessment, crisis support, safeguarding support or one-to-one treatment.
Drugs and Alcohol Services
Start Here...
These links are useful starting points if you are unsure what support you need or where to begin for drugs and alcohol services.
What they help with: A service finder for alcohol addiction support, including support to reduce or stop drinking, rehabilitation, counselling, CBT, group therapy and self-help.
Who it may help: People who want to find alcohol addiction support services and treatment options.
Location / Coverage: NHS service finder. Availability depends on local services.
Contact details: Use the NHS service finder online. For urgent health advice, contact NHS 111.
Best starting point advice: Use this when someone wants to search for alcohol support services rather than just read general advice.
What they help with: Information about alcohol use, cutting down, alcohol dependence, withdrawal concerns, treatment routes and where to start if drinking is affecting life or health.
Who it may help: People worried about their own drinking, people unsure whether they need help, and people looking for a first step before contacting a GP or local alcohol service.
Location / Coverage: UK information page. Service access may vary by nation and local area.
Contact details: Use the NHS page for guidance. For urgent health advice, contact NHS 111. If there is immediate danger or a medical emergency, call 999.
Best starting point advice: A good first step for someone who is worried about their drinking and wants clear NHS guidance before contacting a GP or local alcohol service.
What they help with: NHS information explaining how drug treatment works, what may happen at a first appointment, local treatment options, NHS and charity support, and support for families or carers.
Who it may help: People worried about drug use, people looking for treatment, and people wanting to understand what support may involve.
Location / Coverage: UK NHS information page. Local treatment access varies by area.
Contact details: Use the NHS guidance page. For urgent health advice, contact NHS 111. If there is immediate danger, overdose or a medical emergency, call 999.
Best starting point advice: A good starting point for someone who wants to understand drug treatment and what asking for help may look like.
What they help with: Confidential information and advice about drugs, their effects, risks, the law, alcohol, and where to get support.
Who it may help: People using drugs, people worried about someone else, young people, parents, carers, friends and professionals who want clear drug information.
Location / Coverage: UK-wide drug information and support service.
Contact details: Phone: 0300 123 6600. Text: 82111. Online contact options are available on the FRANK website.
Best starting point advice: Use this when someone wants confidential drug information or does not know what type of support they need yet.
What they help with: A postcode/town search tool for finding local and national drug and alcohol services.
Who it may help: People in England looking for a local drug or alcohol service close to where they live.
Location / Coverage: England.
Contact details: Use the online search tool by entering a postcode or town.
Best starting point advice: One of the best starting points for visitors who want to find a local drug or alcohol support service quickly.
NHS Alcohol Support
NHS Find Alcohol Addiction Support Services
Talk to FRANK
Talk to FRANK - Find Support Near You
NHS Drug Addiction: Getting Help
Treatment and Recovery Services
These organisations provide drug and alcohol support, treatment options, harm reduction, recovery planning and related wellbeing services.
Some services are national, while others only operate in certain local areas. Please check each organisation’s website to see what support is available where you live.
What they help with: Free and confidential support around drugs, alcohol, harm reduction, treatment, recovery planning, health and wellbeing, housing, justice, smoking and related needs.
Who it may help: Adults, young people, families and communities in areas where Change Grow Live operates.
Location / Coverage: Services across many areas of England and Wales, but not every area.
Contact details: Use the website to find local services or access online advice and webchat where available.
Best starting point advice: A strong starting point where CGL operates locally, especially for people seeking structured drug and alcohol support or harm reduction advice.
Change Grow Live
WithYou
What they help with: Free and confidential support for people facing challenges with drugs, alcohol or mental health, including local services, advice and online support options.
Who it may help: Adults, young people, families and communities in areas where WithYou operates.
Location / Coverage: England and Scotland.
Contact details: Use the website to search for local support, speak online where available, or find advice and information.
Best starting point advice: A good starting point for people wanting non-judgemental drug, alcohol or mental health support in England or Scotland.
Turning Point
What they help with: Support for addiction, drug and alcohol issues, mental health, wellbeing and related needs, including online, telephone and local community services.
Who it may help: People looking for support with drug or alcohol use, mental health, wellbeing or related difficulties.
Location / Coverage: Services across England.
Contact details: Use the website to search for local support and service access options.
Best starting point advice: Useful for people who want to explore drug and alcohol support from a large national provider with local services.
Waythrough
What they help with: Free, confidential support for mental health, alcohol, drugs, housing and related areas through local services.
Who it may help: People needing support with drug or alcohol use alongside mental health, housing or related support needs.
Location / Coverage: Services in England; local availability varies.
Contact details: Use the website to find support near you.
Best starting point advice: Useful when someone may need joined-up support beyond substances alone, such as mental health or housing-related support.
The Forward Trust
Who it may help: People affected by drug or alcohol issues, past offending, homelessness or unemployment, and people needing structured recovery support.
Location / Coverage: England and Wales, including prison and community settings.
Contact details: Use the website to explore support services and local availability.
Best starting point advice: Useful for people looking for recovery support connected to community services, justice, housing or employment support.
Phoenix Futures
What they help with: Drug and alcohol recovery support, community services, residential services, family support, prison services, housing support and recovery communities.
Who it may help: People looking for community recovery support, residential services, family support or structured recovery options.
Location / Coverage: UK services; use the service finder to check local availability.
Contact details: Use the Phoenix Futures service finder online.
Best starting point advice: Good for visitors exploring structured recovery services, including community and residential options.
Via
What they help with: Free and confidential support for adults and young people around alcohol dependency and drug use.
Who it may help: Adults, young people and families in areas where Via operates.
Location / Coverage: Local service availability varies across the UK.
Contact details: Use the website to find services and contact options.
Best starting point advice: Useful for people looking for local drug and alcohol support from a specialist charity.
What they help with: Alcohol and drug support, harm reduction, family support, local recovery services, naloxone information and related programs.
Who it may help: People affected by alcohol or drug use, including family members, in areas where Cranstoun operates.
Location / Coverage: Services in specific local authority areas.
Contact details: Use the website to find local services and support options.
Best starting point advice: Useful where Cranstoun operates locally, especially for harm reduction and alcohol/drug support.
Cranstoun
What they help with: Support around alcohol, drugs and gambling, including support for individuals, families, professionals and communities.
Who it may help: People affected by alcohol, drug or gambling harms in areas covered by Aquarius services.
Location / Coverage: Midlands-based services; Aquarius is part of Waythrough.
Contact details: Use the website to find service information and contact details.
Best starting point advice: Useful for Midlands-based visitors and people affected by alcohol, drugs or gambling.
Aquarius
The Dynamo Project
What they help with: Drug and alcohol addiction support for individuals and support for loved ones affected by addiction.
Who it may help: People experiencing difficulties with drug or alcohol misuse and people close to someone affected by addiction.
Location / Coverage: Coventry-based.
Contact details: Use the website for self-referral or referral on behalf of somebody.
Best starting point advice: Useful for Coventry-based visitors looking for addiction recovery support or family/loved-one support.
What they help with: Drug and alcohol recovery, wellbeing, young people and adult support.
Who it may help: Children, young people and adults affected by drug, alcohol or wellbeing difficulties.
Location / Coverage: Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex.
Contact details: Use the website for current service and contact details.
Best starting point advice: Useful for visitors in Norfolk, Suffolk or Essex looking for recovery and wellbeing support.
The Matthew Project
The Bristol Drugs Project
What they help with: Harm reduction, drug and alcohol treatment, information, support, needle exchange, structured treatment, family support and local recovery support.
Who it may help: People in Bristol affected by drugs or alcohol, including people worried about someone else.
Location / Coverage: Bristol.
Contact details: Use the website for get support and contact options.
Best starting point advice: Useful for Bristol-based visitors needing drug and alcohol support or harm reduction information.
Nation-Specific and Local Services
What they help with: Support around mental health, substance use, housing, gambling, crisis support, carers, counselling, complex needs and wellbeing.
Who it may help: People in Wales affected by substance use, mental health difficulties, housing needs, gambling harms, caring responsibilities or complex needs.
Location / Coverage: Wales, with some residential/inpatient services beyond Wales.
Contact details: Use the website to search services and contact the relevant local team.
Best starting point advice: Useful for Wales-based visitors who may need joined-up support across substance use, mental health, housing or complex needs.
Adferiad
What they help with: Drug and alcohol services, harm reduction, peer-led support, detox programmes, housing-related support and community-based recovery services.
Who it may help: People affected by drug or alcohol use who live in areas covered by Kaleidoscope services.
Location / Coverage: Wales and the Wirral.
Contact details: Use the website to find services and local contact routes.
Best starting point advice: Useful for visitors in Wales or the Wirral looking for drug and alcohol support, harm reduction or detox-related service information.
Kaleidoscope
What they help with: Free, safe and confidential drug and alcohol services, harm reduction, family support, naloxone and needle exchange information.
Who it may help: People in Gwent affected by alcohol or drug use, including family members and people seeking harm reduction support.
Location / Coverage: Gwent / Wales.
Contact details: Use the GDAS website for service contact options. If there is overdose risk or immediate danger, call 999.
Gwent Drug and Alcohol Service (GDAS)
DAN 24/7 - Wales Drug & Alcohol Helpline
What they help with: Free bilingual drug and alcohol helpline for information, advice and signposting around alcohol and drugs.
Who it may help: Anyone in Wales affected by their own or someone else’s alcohol or drug use.
Location / Coverage: Wales.
Contact details: Phone: 0808 808 2234. Text: DAN to 81066. Available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Best starting point advice: A strong starting point for visitors in Wales who need drug or alcohol advice or help finding the right local support.
What they help with: Information, advice and support for anyone affected by someone else’s alcohol or drug use.
Who it may help: Family members, friends and anyone in Scotland worried about someone else’s alcohol or drug use.
Location / Coverage: Scotland.
Contact details: Use the website for current helpline, webchat, email and support options.
Best starting point advice: Useful for people in Scotland who are supporting or affected by someone else’s substance use.
Ascert
What they help with: Information, advice and support for anyone affected by someone else’s alcohol or drug use.
Who it may help: Family members, friends and anyone in Scotland worried about someone else’s alcohol or drug use.
Location / Coverage: Scotland.
Contact details: Use the website for current helpline, webchat, email and support options.
Best starting point advice: Useful for people in Scotland who are supporting or affected by someone else’s substance use.
Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol & Drugs
These services are more specific to Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland or particular local areas. Availability can vary, so visitors should check directly with each organisation to see what support is available where they live.
Peer Support and Family Support
These organisations offer peer support, mutual aid, recovery meetings or support for families and friends affected by someone else’s alcohol or drug use. They can be helpful alongside formal services, or as a starting point for people looking for shared experience and community support.
Alcoholics Anonymous GB
What they help with: Peer support meetings for people who want help with stopping drinking and staying sober.
Who it may help: People who think they may have a drinking problem and want peer support from others in recovery.
Location / Coverage: Great Britain, including in-person and online meetings.
Contact details: Free national helpline: 0800 917 7650. Meeting search available online.
Best starting point advice: A useful starting point for someone looking for alcohol peer support today. Use the official meeting finder for up-to-date meeting details.
Narcotics Anonymous UK
What they help with: Peer support meetings for people with drug problems who want support from others in recovery.
Who it may help: People who feel drugs are causing problems in their life and want peer support.
Location / Coverage: United Kingdom and Channel Islands.
Contact details: Helpline: 0300 999 1212. Check the UKNA website for current helpline hours and meeting details.
Best starting point advice: A useful starting point for someone looking for drug recovery peer support. Use the official meeting finder for current details.
What they help with: Self-management and recovery training meetings for addictive behaviours, including alcohol, drugs, gambling and other problematic behaviours.
Who it may help: People who want practical tools, peer support and a self-management approach to recovery.
Location / Coverage: UK online and in-person meetings where available.
Contact details: Use the meeting finder to search by city or postcode.
Best starting point advice: Useful for visitors who want practical recovery tools and meeting-based peer support without a 12-step format.
UK SMART Recovery
What they help with: Self-management and recovery training meetings for addictive behaviours, including alcohol, drugs, gambling and other problematic behaviours.
Who it may help: People who want practical tools, peer support and a self-management approach to recovery.
Location / Coverage: UK online and in-person meetings where available.
Contact details: Use the meeting finder to search by city or postcode.
Best starting point advice: Useful for visitors who want practical recovery tools and meeting-based peer support without a 12-step format.
Al-Anon Family Groups UK & Eire
Safety Note
The Recovery Space provides education, self-help tools and signposting only. We do not provide medical advice, crisis support, detox, counselling, safeguarding or one-to-one support.
Drug and alcohol services can change over time, so please check directly with each organisation for the most up-to-date information, availability and referral options.
If you are physically dependent on alcohol or substances, stopping suddenly can be risky. Please speak to a GP, pharmacist, NHS service or local drug and alcohol service before making sudden changes.
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, go to A&E or contact emergency services immediately.
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