Emergency food/financial support
- Trussel Trust - you can find your local food bank on the Trussel Trust website and information on how to get a food parcel (please note opening times for these will vary over the Christmas period.)
- The Salvation Army, emergency assistance – you can search for a Salvation Army service on their website.
- Your local council - you may be able to receive help from your local authority’s welfare assistance fund. Each council runs their own scheme with different qualifying criteria. You can search your local council and look for ‘Covid support’ or ‘Welfare Assistance Scheme’ on your council's website.
- StepChange have put together information for those who need emergency help with food or finances. You can call 0800 138 1111 Free (Mon-Fri 8am-8pm, Sat 8am-4pm) if you are worried about money.
- Government hardship payments - Hardship payments are available to people on JSA, ESA or UC whose benefits have stopped. Also available for vulnerable or at risk people. You can call 0800 169 0310.
- Social fund budgeting loan - People on certain benefits for at least 26 weeks may be eligible for a budgeting loan which is then repaid out of benefit payments. Please see budgeting help benefits website for more info, or call 0800 169 0140.
Other support
- Samaritans - If you need to speak to someone to get worries off your mind, loneliness or anything else Samaritans are there 24/7 to listen. Call them free on 116 123.
- Mental health - If you or a family member is in mental health crisis, you should contact your local council crisis team (search on the internet). However, if it is an emergency you should contact 999 immediately. Please visit Where to get urgent help for mental health for more information.
Domestic violence and abuse services
- National domestic violence helpline (Refuge) UK 0808 2000 247.
- If there is an immediate risk call 999.
Safeguarding adults
- Shout is the UK’s first 24/7 text service, free on all major mobile networks, for anyone in crisis anytime, anywhere. Text 85258 if you’re struggling to cope and you need immediate help.
- If you are at immediate risk of harm, please contact the police on 999 (emergency only).
- For matters that do not require an emergency response, please call the police on 101 (non-emergency line).
Safeguarding children
- The NSPCC are there to help 24/7 and children can call their childline number on 0800 1111.
- If a child is at immediate risk of harm, please call the police on 999 (emergencies only).
- For matters that do not require an emergency response, please call the police on 101 (non-emergency line).