You do not have to be in crisis to talk to someone. You do not need a diagnosis or a referral.
ViaCara is for adults, so we cannot help you ourselves. The services below can.
None of them are run by us. We list them because they help.
If you want to talk today
Confidential support on anything at all. You can call, chat online with a counsellor, or send a message and get a reply within a day.
Calls will not show on the phone bill.
A text conversation with a trained volunteer, for when talking out loud is too much.
On a few UK networks the text will not send at all.
Someone to talk to at any hour, about anything. The call does not show on your phone bill.
Welsh language line 0808 164 0123, 7pm to 11pm daily.
If you want ongoing support
Text chat with a mental health professional, now or booked ahead, plus self-help tools.
Kooth is now Soluna. Funded in some areas only, so sign up to see if it covers your age and where you live.
Short-term counselling you book yourself, with no GP letter needed.
They have no phone helpline. Webchat sessions are paused, so counselling is by phone or video for now.
Wales A helpline for children and young people anywhere in Wales.
For something specific
Support for anyone affected by an eating disorder, including friends and family. No diagnosis needed.
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England 0808 801 0677 Weekdays 3pm to 8pm -
Scotland 0808 801 0432 Weekdays 3pm to 8pm - Wales 0808 801 0433 Weekdays 3pm to 8pm
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Northern Ireland 0808 801 0434 Weekdays 3pm to 8pm
Support for LGBT+ young people experiencing abuse or violence.
Under-18s use the referral form, not the phone line.
Support for trans and gender-diverse young people and their families.
Not a crisis line. Closed Fridays and weekends.
Faith-sensitive support from a youth-focused team, by phone, chat or email.
If you have left home, are thinking about it, or feel trapped somewhere unsafe. Run by Missing People.
Not open overnight. After 10pm, Childline and Shout are.
Asking for NHS help
The service is usually reached through a GP or someone at school. A teacher, school nurse or mental health lead can all refer you.
Some areas let you refer yourself. Many do not. Ask your local service which it is.
Your school can help too. Mental health support teams now work in almost 11,800 schools and colleges in England. Asking your school gets things moving.
Source: DfE: mental health support
About the wait
Waiting lists for young people are long. That is not your fault.
In 2024-25, just over a million children in England had an active referral. Around a third were still waiting at the end of the year.
That is a fact about the system, not about you. The services above exist because of that gap. You can use them while you wait.
If you need help today, our UK crisis page lists people you can contact at any hour.
Source: Children's Commissioner: CYPMHS
