Mental Health Listening Support in the UK: Contacts, Hours and Eligibility
Directory/editorial guidance, not diagnosis or emergency care. Read the sources and check status shown in the article. No named clinician or clinical endorsement is claimed. Editorial ownership still needs to be assigned.
Emergency care comes first
If someone’s life is at risk, or you cannot keep yourself or someone else safe, call 999 or go to A&E now. Do not wait for a charity reply.
In England, urgent mental health help that is not an immediate emergency is available by calling 111 and selecting the mental health option. Do not assume the same pathway in every UK nation.
Samaritans: telephone listening support
Call 116 123, free from UK landlines and mobiles, 24/7. This is listening support, not emergency care. A volunteer may not be immediately available.
Current official phone information
Shout: text support, not a voice number
Send SHOUT to 85258 from your phone. Shout publishes free UK text support, 24/7. Response times can be longer when busy; this is not a substitute for emergency care.
Current official support instructions
Mind Infoline: information and service finding
Mind’s Infoline is 0300 123 3393, Monday–Friday 9am–6pm except bank holidays, for England and Wales. It is not a 24/7 crisis line. Calls are not universally free; check phone-provider charges.
Mind has several different helplines. Do not assume one channel’s number or hours applies to another.
Current Mind channels, hours and charges
CALM: suicide-prevention support
CALM’s official page says its helpline is for anyone over 18 affected by suicide or suicidal thoughts, not men only. Call 0800 58 58 58, free, 5pm–midnight daily. Live chat and WhatsApp are separate contact options on the provider page. An immediate response is not guaranteed.
Current CALM service information
The Mix: booked youth support, not the old telephone helpline
The old telephone helpline has been withdrawn and is not an available contact route.
- PeerChat: free, booked one-to-one online text support for UK residents aged 16–25, around 45 minutes. It is not counselling, therapy or crisis intervention and is normally usable once in 12 months.
- Counselling: free self-referral for UK young people aged 13–25, currently offered by phone or video. Counselling webchat is currently unavailable; this does not mean PeerChat text chat is unavailable.
Check PeerChat booking information and counselling eligibility and booking. No slot or instant response is promised.
Other checked telephone contacts
- Childline: 0800 1111, telephone support 24/7 for children and young people under 19. Check its official channel information; other channels have their own arrangements.
- SANEline: 0300 304 7000, 4pm–10pm daily, ages 16+. Support has no service fee, but geographic-rate phone-provider charges may apply. Its callback service is not an immediate crisis line. Official information.
- Muslim Youth Helpline: 0808 808 2008, free, 4pm–10pm daily. Its call page welcomes all ages and backgrounds. It offers listening support, not counselling. Official call information.
Browse carefully
Browse checked free-support costs and review limitations or search the map. “Scheduled to be open” is based on a published channel schedule, not guaranteed immediate availability.
Source checks: 14 October 2026. This is directory/editorial information, not clinical review. Editorial ownership still needs to be assigned.
Sources also include NHS urgent support and The Mix’s helpline transition notice.
Frequently asked questions
Are all mental health helplines open 24/7?
No. Samaritans and Shout publish 24/7 listening/text support. CALM publishes 5pm to midnight daily. Other channels have their own hours. Published hours do not guarantee immediate availability.
Is The Mix an available telephone helpline?
The old telephone helpline was withdrawn. The Mix currently offers booked PeerChat text support for UK residents aged 16–25 and separate counselling for ages 13–25. Check the provider for current booking availability.
What should I do in a mental health emergency?
If someone's life is at risk, or you cannot keep yourself or someone else safe, call 999 or go to A&E now. In England, urgent mental health help that is not an immediate emergency is available by calling 111 and selecting the mental health option.