Free Mental Health Resources in the UK

By Team TherapyRoute. Last reviewed July 2026.

This is a clinician-reviewed guide to free mental-health support across the United Kingdom. It sorts the help into a few clear doors. You can find the right one for tonight, this week, or the longer term.

Genuinely free routes do exist. Some are run by the NHS, others by trusted charities.

If you are in a crisis, read this first

If your life is at risk, please call the emergency services on 999.¹ You can also go to your nearest A&E department.

If you are not in immediate danger but need to talk now, these free UK lines can help.

Shout gives free, confidential text support around the clock to anyone in the UK.¹ The CALM helpline is open 5pm - midnight every day.³ NHS 111 online or by phone connects callers to local urgent mental health help.⁴

Free crisis and listening lines across the UK's nations

The lines above cover the whole UK. Each nation also has its own free service.

• Scotland. Breathing Space asks you to phone 0800 83 85 87 to speak to an advisor.⁵ Outside its hours, NHS 24 is available 24 hours a day⁵ on 111.
• Wales. C.A.L.L., the Community Advice and Listening Line, is the mental health helpline for Wales.⁶ It is confidential, free and open 24 hours a day, every day of the year⁶ on 0800 132 737, and available in Welsh on request.⁶
• Northern Ireland. Lifeline is Northern Ireland's crisis response helpline, open to everyone there.⁷ It is confidential, free and open 24 hours every day⁷ on 0808 808 8000.⁷

Free NHS talking therapies, and how to refer yourself

NHS Talking Therapies is a main free route to therapy in England. If you are struggling with anxiety or low mood, you can refer yourself to NHS Talking Therapies directly, with no need to see a GP first.⁸

You do not need to have a diagnosed mental health condition.⁸ To use it, you must be registered with a GP.⁸ You need to be aged 18 or over,⁸ or 16 or over in some areas.⁸

These NHS therapies are free for patients to access.⁹ The service is free at the point of use on the NHS.¹⁰ A GP can also refer you.

Speak to a GP first for some conditions. These include psychosis, bipolar disorder, a personality disorder, an eating disorder, or a drug or alcohol problem.⁸ A GP can then refer you to a suitable specialist.

Outside England, ask your GP about local NHS talking therapies, or use Hub of Hope to find a service near you. If you are under 18, the young-people section below is the better starting point.

Free support for young people, including culturally sensitive help

Several free services are built around younger people and specific communities.

• Kooth. Kooth is a free, anonymous space to talk things through.¹¹ It works in partnership with the NHS. It has no waiting lists, and you do not need a doctor's referral to start.¹¹
• The Mix. Its free counselling welcomes anyone aged 13 to 25.¹² The Mix also runs a helpline, webchat and online resources.
• Muslim Youth Helpline. This free service offers faith- and culture-aware support for young people. You can reach it on 0808 808 2008,¹³ any day of the week between 4pm and 10pm.¹³
• YoungMinds. It runs a Parents Helpline on 0808 802 5544.¹⁴ For young people, YoungMinds says: Use the Shout Textline for free, 24-hour mental health support.¹⁴

Culturally specific local services open and close over time. Some free therapy services also pause now and then. To find one that is running in your area right now, search Hub of Hope.

Find local and specialist services near you

Hub of Hope lets you search a directory covering many thousands of UK mental-health support services.¹⁵ You can filter by area and by need.

For children and teenagers, under-19s can also reach Childline free on 0800 1111.²

What free support can and cannot offer

Helplines and charities give real support. A listening line is there for the moment, not for ongoing treatment.

NHS talking therapies and a therapist offer sustained clinical care over time. Free NHS therapy is a strong first route, though there can be a wait to be seen.

If you would like ongoing or private therapy, our directory can help you find someone who fits your needs. Our guide on how to find the right therapist is a good place to start.

Common questions

Is NHS talking therapy really free? Yes. These therapies are free for patients to access. In England, CQC is the independent regulator of health and adult social care in England,¹⁶ and it oversees the quality of care.

Do I need a GP referral? Not for the main route. In England you can self-refer to NHS Talking Therapies directly, rather than going through a GP. You do still need to be registered with a GP.

What if I need help tonight? Use the crisis lines at the top of this page. In an emergency, call the emergency services on 999.

This article is for general information and is not a substitute for professional assessment or care. If this is affecting your life, consider reaching out to a qualified mental health professional.

References

1. [1] Shout (n.d.). How Shout works. giveusashout.org/get-help/how-shout-works giveusashout.org/get-help/how-shout-works.
2. [2] NHS (n.d.). Where to get urgent help for mental health. nhs.uk/nhs-services/mental-health-services/where-to-get-urgent-help-for-mental-health nhs.uk.
3. [3] CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) (n.d.). I feel suicidal. thecalmzone.net/feeling-suicidal thecalmzone.net/feeling-suicidal.
4. [4] NHS 111 - urgent mental health help. nhs.uk/nhs-services/mental-health-services nhs.uk/nhs-services/mental-health-services.
5. [5] NHS 24, Breathing Space (n.d.). Need to talk? breathingspace.scot/how-we-can-help/need-to-talk breathingspace.scot.
6. [6] C.A.L.L. Mental Health Helpline for Wales (n.d.). Community Advice and Listening Line. callhelpline.org.uk callhelpline.org.uk.
7. [7] nidirect (n.d.). Mental health emergency - if you’re in crisis or despair. nidirect.gov.uk/articles/mental-health-emergency-if-youre-crisis-or-despair nidirect.gov.uk.
8. [8] NHS (n.d.). Talking therapies. nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/talking-therapies nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/talking-therapies.
9. [9] Official source: (england.nhs.uk). england.nhs.uk england.nhs.uk.
10. [10] NHS Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression (self-referral). nhs.uk nhs.uk.
11. [11] Kooth (n.d.). Free online counselling & mental health support for young people. explore.kooth.com/free-online-counselling-mental-health-support-for-young-people explore.kooth.com.
12. [12] The Mix (n.d.). Counselling. themix.org.uk/counselling themix.org.uk/counselling.
13. [13] Muslim Youth Helpline (n.d.). Call us. myh.org.uk/how-we-can-help/call-us myh.org.uk/how-we-can-help/call-us.
14. [14] YoungMinds (n.d.). How to contact YoungMinds. youngminds.org.uk/about-us/contact-us youngminds.org.uk/about-us/contact-us.
15. [15] Hub of Hope (Chasing the Stigma) (n.d.). Mental Health Support Network. hubofhope.co.uk hubofhope.co.uk.
16. [16] Official source: (cqc.org.uk). cqc.org.uk/about-us cqc.org.uk/about-us.