Urgent mental-health help at night in London: who to call

If there is an immediate risk to life, call 999 or go to A&E. If the need is urgent but not immediately life-threatening, call NHS 111 or use NHS 111 online; 111 can tell you where to get help and may connect you with a trained mental-health professional by phone.

For urgent help that is not immediately life-threatening

Use NHS 111 when you need urgent help for your mental health in England. It is also the route if you are trying to get help for someone else, because a friend, carer or loved one can call on their behalf if they are not able to make the call themselves.

The mental-health support through NHS 111 is for all ages, including children and young people, although local arrangements can vary. NHS urgent mental-health crisis lines are available across England, and the exact service offered can vary by area.

A mental-health call to NHS 111 may give advice over the phone. It may also put you in contact with crisis services, or refer you to an urgent and crisis team for assessment and intervention where appropriate.

If you need to hear another person’s voice

Samaritans offers one-to-one support and is open 24 hours a day. You can call Samaritans any time, day or night, from any phone for free, on 116 123.

The Samaritans helpline is free from landlines and mobiles, including pay-as-you-go mobiles. You do not need credit or a call allowance.

If texting is easier than speaking

Shout is a free, confidential, 24/7 text service for anyone in the UK who needs mental-health support. To start a conversation, text the word “Shout” to 85258, and a trained volunteer will respond.

Shout volunteers listen and help people work out next steps. They may also provide resources or tools to obtain more expert support.

If you go to A&E

If you go to A&E for a mental-health emergency, staff should address immediate physical and mental-health needs. They should also refer you to liaison psychiatry or a local crisis-resolution and home-treatment team.

If you are helping a friend

Stay with a friend who is in crisis. Do not leave them alone if they are in immediate danger, and encourage them to seek urgent professional help.

Listen without judgment, and avoid dismissing their feelings. Ask directly whether they are thinking about suicide.

If they cannot make the call themselves, you can call NHS 111 on their behalf. A friend, carer or loved one can make that call for them.

Choosing between the routes

Use NHS 111 or NHS 111 online for urgent mental-health help in England when the situation is not immediately life-threatening. Use Samaritans if you want free one-to-one support by phone at any time, and use Shout if a free, confidential, 24/7 text conversation feels easier.

If there is an immediate risk to life, call 999 or go to A&E. If you are not at that point but need urgent mental-health help, start with NHS 111 and let the service tell you the right place to get help.

Related: Emergency numbers and essential services · Stuck in London overnight · Getting home safely at night

Sources

Every statement above rests on a page we opened and checked on 3 October 2026. We are not a medical, legal or emergency service: for an emergency, ring 999.

• NHS: nhs.uk/nhs-services/mental-health-services/where-to-get-urgent-help-fo
• Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust (NHS 111 mental-health option): sheffieldpartnership.nhs.uk/urgent-help
• NHS England: england.nhs.uk/mental-health/case-studies/crisis-mental-health-case-st
• Samaritans: samaritans.org/contact-us
• Shout: giveusashout.org/get-help/
• Shout: giveusashout.org/get-help/how-shout-works/
• Durham County Council (advice on helping someone in crisis): durham.gov.uk/article/32461/Helping-someone-who-has-suicidal-thoughts

Checked: 3 October 2026