Resources: Helplines & Webchats

Immediate emotional and practical support helpline – 0800 0126549

An NHS, free, confidential, 24/7 helpline provided by Vita Health Group, in partnership with AWP. The line is staffed by experienced counsellors, who you can talk to and they will listen. They will offer emotional support and can connect you to organisations available in Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG).

The helpline is for people aged 18 and over who are living within BNSSG or are registered with a GP within BNSSG.

If you are 17 or under, please instead call the Children and Young People’s helpline via Avon & Wiltshire Partnership SPA line (0300 303 1320).

24/7 Support & Connect website

Age UK Bristol and Linkage provide a number of services for older adults, including advice, social and community groups, befriending, and practical support. Advice is also available for carers and family.

Age UK Bristol website

Al-Anon Family Groups provide support to anyone whose life is, or has been, affected by someone else’s drinking, regardless of whether that person is still drinking or a part of their lives. Alateen meetings are specifically for those age 12-17 who have been affected by someone else’s drinking. A free helpline is also available.

Al-Anon Family Groups – Bristol website

Alcoholics Anonymous provide a safe space for individuals to discuss their personal experiences with alcohol with the overall aim of overcoming alcohol addiction. Meetings are open to people in any stage of recovery.

Both open and closed meetings are available throughout Bristol and the surrounding areas, face-to-face and online. National helpline also available.

Alcoholics Anonymous – AA website

Alzheimer’s Society is a charity that campaigns for change in dementia care, funds research towards a cure, and provides support to people currently living with dementia. They offer a Dementia Support Line to put people in touch with local dementia services and offer advice. They also provide the Bristol Dementia Wellbeing Service.

Alzheimer’s Society – Bristol website

Bath Mind offer a range of services and support to people living in Bath and North East Somerset, including befriending, counselling, community groups, a crisis helpline, and practical support.

Please note that these services are only available in Bath and North East Somerset, and Bristol Mind is a separate organisation offering different services.

Bath Mind website

Bipolar UK is dedicated to supporting individuals with bipolar, their families and carers. Services include support groups (the Bristol Support Group meets online), a peer support line, and online information.

Bipolar UK (Bristol Group) website

Helpline for people suffering bereavement from the loss of a pet. Support is available by telephone or email.

Blue Cross Pet Bereavement Service website

Bristol and District Tranquilliser Project (BTP) offer support to anyone who is taking, considering taking, or has recently withdrawn from prescribed psychotropic medications.

BTP have a range of resources on their website and offer direct support by telephone.

Bristol and District Tranquilliser Project (No Panic) website

Bristol Drugs Project provide free and confidential support to people who are looking for help with their own alcohol and drug use, and the people who care for and about them. Services include support groups, drop-ins, harm reduction, and a dedicated helpline. Specific and targeted support is available for children and young people, students, older people, women, and the LGBTQIA+ community. A specific service is available for recent drug and alcohol-related bereavements.

Bristol Drugs Project website

A confidential free helpline providing a safe place to talk if you, or someone you know, is in distress.

Bristol Mindline website

Bristol Nightline offers a confidential, impartial and non-advisory listening and information service to students of the University of Bristol. The service is open 7 days a week during term time, from 8pm to 8am by phone and 8pm to midnight by IM. There is also an email service available year-round: listening@bristol.nightline.ac.uk

Bristol Nightline – for University of Bristol students (01179 266 266) website

Samaritans provide free confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year by phone, and also offer non-urgent support by email and post.

Bristol Samaritans (116 123) website

The Carers Centre is a local charity supporting people in Bristol and South Gloucestershire who care for family and friends. They offer expert advice, emotional support, telephone counselling, and understanding, and support for child carers. All services are free. CarersLine helpline for carers also available

Carers’ Support Centre (Bristol & South Glos) website

Citizens Advice Bristol provide free, independent, impartial, and confidential advice on issues such as benefits, housing, debt, and family law.

Citizens Advice Bristol website

Cruse offer support for people who have experienced bereavement across the UK through their national helpline. Local support services are also available.

Cruse Bereavement Support website

EACH is a charitable support agency for people affected by homophobia. They provide a confidential helpline for children and young people (up to the age of 18) who have been the target of homophobic, biphobic, or transphobic bullying.

Educational Action Challenging Homophobia (EACH) website

Forcesline is a free and confidential telephone helpline and email service that provides support for serving and ex-service men and women and reserves from the Armed Forces and for their families. SSAFA, who operate the line, are an independent charity outside of the military chain of command.

Forcesline website

Galop are a LGBTQIA+ anti-abuse charity, providing support to LGBTQIA+ people who have experienced abuse and violence. They provide helplines, advocacy, online support communities, and dedicated services for LGBTQIA+ children and young people.

Galop website

GamCare is the leading UK provider of free information, advice and support for anyone harmed by gambling. They provide both telephone and online support.

GamCare website

Grief Encounter provide free, immediate, one-to-one support to children and young people who have been bereaved. Support is also available for parents or carers when a child in the family is being supported.

Grief Encounter (South West) website

Intercom Trust provide support to LGBTQIA+ people across the South West of England. They offer a dedicated South West helpline, and specific services for people in Devon, Cornwall, and Dorset.

Intercom Trust website

Maternity Action provide advice, information, and confidential telephone support to parents worried about their rights at work and rights to benefits and healthcare.

Maternity Action website

Mermaids supports transgender, non-binary, and gender-diverse youth and their families, up to their 20th birthday, and offers webchat support to gender-diverse students up to the age of 25.

Mermaids website

Mindline Trans+ is a UK-wide confidential emotional support and signposting helpline for people who identify as transgender, non-binary, or otherwise gender-diverse and their families and friends. The service is provided by Mind in Somerset, and is staffed by listeners with lived experience of being trans+.

Mindline Trans+ website

Mothers for Mothers offer a range of perinatal mental health support services. Most of their services, including helplines, one-to-one sessions, and counselling, are directed at mothers, but monthly support sessions are also available for fathers.

Mothers for Mothers website

Nacoa provide information, support, and advice for people of all ages affected by a parent’s drinking. Support is provided online and through a free helpline.

Nacoa website

Narcotics Anonymous is a community of people who support each other to achieve and maintain a drug free life. Support is offered through support group meetings and a helpline.

Narcotics Anonymous (Bristol groups) website

The National Autistic Society provide support, guidance, and advice to autistic people and their families. Social and community events are also provided for both autistic adults and autistic children and their parents locally.

National Autistic Society, Bristol Branch website

Next Link is part of Missing Link Mental Health Services, providing specific support services for women who are experiencing domestic abuse. Services include safe houses, crisis response, outreach, and helplines.

Next Link website

OCD Action provide support and information to anybody affected by OCD. Services include a helpline and online support groups.

OCD Action (Bristol group) website

Helpline for young people who are thinking of running away or who have run away from home.

Runaway Helpline website

Safeline provide support to survivors of sexual assault and rape. Online counselling is available, and there is a dedicated helpline for male survivors.

Safeline website

Self Injury Support offer support for anyone affected by self harm, and information and resources about self harm for all. Support is provided through webchats, helplines, text, and email.

If you have been affected by self-injury their helpline and text services are open to offer you confidential, non-judgmental support.

Mon and Thurs 7pm – 10pm
Helpline: 0808 800 8088

Text: Contact TESS at 07537 432444 (Texts cost standard rate).

Self Injury Support website

Sex Addicts Anonymous (SAA) is an organisation providing support to individuals who want to heal from engaging in harmful sexual behaviours. Support is provided through local weekly support groups, of which there are several in Bristol. SAA also operate a phone helpline.

Sex Addicts Anonymous (Bristol groups) website

Shelter provide advice, information, support, and legal aid legal services to individuals who are experiencing issues with housing, homeless, or at risk of homelessness.

Shelter (Bristol services) website

SARSAS provide support, including helplines, counselling, and one-to-one support, to survivors of rape and sexual abuse across Bristol, South Gloucestershire, BANES, and Somerset. Support is available for people of all genders.

Somerset and Avon Rape and Sexual Abuse Support (SARSAS) website

Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide offer peer support to adults (aged 18+) who have been bereaved by suicide. Services include support groups, including a dedicated online group for men, a community forum, and telephone and email helpline services.

Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide website

SurvivorsUK provide a national online helpline, individual and group counselling for boys, men, and non-binary people aged 13+ who have experienced sexual violence at any time in their lives. They also offer emotional support to men going through the justice system in relation to experiencing sexual violence.

SurvivorsUK website

The Compassionate Friends provide befriending, support and a helpline for bereaved parents, grandparents or siblings who have suffered the death of a child or children of any age and from any cause. Online and local support groups are also available.

The Compassionate Friends – Bristol website

The Silver Line operate a free, confidential, 24-hour telephone helpline for people aged 55+ in the UK, and offer a telephone friendship service connecting people aged 60+ with volunteers to reduce social isolation.

The Silver Line website

Victim Support offer free, independent, and confidential advice and support to anyone who has been affected by crime, including a 24-hour helpline, and advocacy for victims of domestic abuse.

Victim Support website

Womankind supports women in the Bristol area with professional counselling, group psychotherapy, befriending and a helpline service.

Womankind website

Women’s Aid is a national charity working to end domestic abuse against women and children. They have a live chat and email service for survivors, as well as information and a directory of services.

Women’s Aid website