In times of crisis, help is available
If you need urgent help as you are in mental health distress, then there is always someone you can call.
Our Initial Response Service (Mental Health Crisis Line) is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling 0800 953 0110. It is staffed by trained mental health professionals who are able to provide assessment and referrals to appropriate services. Ring it if you need to access services or for advice about someone who needs treatment or support.
If you are experiencing a mental health crisis or something that makes you feel severely unsafe, distressed, or worried about your mental health, you can now contact your local crisis service by calling NHS 111 and selecting the mental health option.
Wellbeing Helpline and Texting Service
We also have a Wellbeing Helpline and Texting Service, phone lines are available Monday to Friday 7pm to 11pm staffed by volunteers and those with lived experience, who can offer emotional support - ring if you want to chat about your mental health or are lonely. Contact the helpline on 0800 915 4640 or by texting Hello between 10am and 11pm Monday to Friday to 07860 022 846.
Whilst we recruit new volunteers to support the service, we have made the decision to shorten our operating hours on Saturdays and Sundays, changing from 12 midday to 12 midnight, to 4pm until 11pm on both days.
The changes take effect from Saturday 10 August 2024 until further notice.
You can also find more information about mental health services and self-help on our accessing mental health support page.
SignVideo - British Sign Language (BSL)
If you are part of the deaf community and need to access our mental health services whether for urgent or routine care, the support of a BSL interpreter is available here and they will help you to communicate with our call handlers or mental health practitioners.
- Access a BSL interpreter here if you live in Central or West Lancashire.
- Access a BSL interpreter here if you live in East Lancashire or Blackburn with Darwen.
- Access a BSL interpreter here if you live in Lancaster, Morecambe and South Cumbria.
- Access a BSL interpreter here if you live on the Fylde Coast.
When to contact social services
If you have urgent concerns about someone's social circumstances, such as children and young people, vulnerable adults or people with learning difficulties, it may be more appropriate to call social services. Local government services such as housing services and social care services often run out-of-hours duty provisions.
Search for your local council to find out how your social care service deals with emergencies out of office hours.