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Finding Help Where You Live

This is the live version of the resources page printed at the back of Before You Say Yes, and the support page for the Before You Say Yes course.

Last reviewed: 18 September 2026, entry by entry, against each service's own published information. Two details remain outstanding and three are being confirmed with the services directly; all five are named at the foot of this page. The emergency numbers are a starting point rather than a verified list — see the note beside them. If a number or link is wrong, please tell us at info@faithfulpathcommunity.com so it can be corrected for everyone.

This page lists places to begin. It cannot list everything, and helpline numbers, hours and websites change. If you are not in immediate danger and can search safely, begin with the global directories below; they are maintained by the services themselves. If you are in immediate danger, contact the appropriate emergency service or move to the safest available place without delaying to search this page.

A note on safety. If you think your phone or internet activity is being watched, use a safer device — one the other person has never used — to visit these websites or make these calls, and do not leave this page open. If you cannot identify a safer device, contact a specialist abuse service when you can do so safely. Do not immediately delete monitoring software, clear shared accounts or change settings; visible changes may alert the person monitoring you. Some services suggest creating a new email account that nobody else knows about, used only for getting help. See Chapter 19 and When to Seek Help in the book, or Lessons 6, 10 and 19 and A Note on Safety in the course.

Emergency numbers

  • United Kingdom: 999 or 112
  • Ireland: 112 or 999
  • United States: 911
  • Canada: 911 — but note that 911 is not available everywhere, including Nunavut; confirm the local number where you live
  • Australia: 000
  • New Zealand: 111
  • South Africa: 112 from a mobile; police 10111
  • Kenya: 999 or 112 — 911 connects on some networks only, so use 999 or 112
  • Nigeria: 112; local availability may vary
  • Ghana: 112 or 191
  • India, and most of the European Union: 112
  • Philippines: 911
  • Malaysia: 999
  • Singapore: police 999; ambulance and fire 995
  • Thailand: police 191; emergency medical assistance 1669

Confirm the appropriate local number when it is safe to do so. Numbers may change or operate differently by region, network or type of emergency. Unlike the rest of this page, these have not been checked entry by entry — establishing each one properly needs a government or regulator source, and for most countries only press and directory reporting is available. Treat them as a starting point rather than a verified list.

Global directories

  • Find A Helpline — findahelpline.com. A searchable directory of verified helplines covering most countries, for suicide, emotional distress, abuse and other concerns. It is a public service made by ThroughLine; the International Association for Suicide Prevention partners with ThroughLine to make it available. Contact methods, hours and languages vary by country and service.
  • Lila.help — lila.help. A directory of vetted helplines and support services for gender-based violence, including domestic abuse and sexual violence, maintained through the Global Network of Women's Shelters.
  • Befrienders Worldwide — befrienders.org. A network of emotional-support centres, with a helpline finder.

Crisis and emotional support

If you are thinking about harming yourself or not wanting to live.

Hours, languages, eligibility, confidentiality and call charges vary. A line listed as 24/7 may still experience delays or temporary interruption. If one service does not answer and you cannot remain safe, try another service or contact emergency help. Note the difference between a crisis line (trained to respond to immediate risk), a listening service (emotional support), an emergency mental-health service (clinical assessment) and a general counselling line; they do not all provide the same intervention.

United Kingdom — Samaritans, an independent charity (listening service, any age): 116 123, free from landlines and mobiles including pay-as-you-go without credit, 24/7, and the number does not appear on a phone bill. Email jo@samaritans.org. Reachable through Relay UK. Face-to-face at branches across the UK and Ireland · samaritans.org. Samaritans states it will only consider telling someone else if it is seriously concerned and believes you cannot make decisions, and that it can only act then if it has identifying information. If 116 123 cannot be dialled from your phone system, 0330 094 5717 works but is charged and will appear on a bill.

Ireland — Samaritans: 116 123, free, 24/7, same terms. Email jo@samaritans.ie, answered within 24 hours.

Pieta, an independent charity, for people in suicidal distress, people who self-harm, people bereaved by suicide, and anyone concerned about someone else: Crisis Helpline 1800 247 247, freephone, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, staffed by qualified therapists. If you cannot speak, text HELP to 51444, also 24/7 — standard message rates apply to texts. At busy times you may be asked to hold · pieta.ie. Free one-to-one therapy can be arranged separately on 0818 111 126; no referral is needed.

Text About It, funded by the HSE: text HELLO to 50808 for anonymous text support with a trained crisis volunteer, 24/7, free on all networks. If the short code does not work on your network, text HELLO to 086 180 0280 instead — standard message rates apply to that number · textaboutit.ie.

United States — 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, a national network of local crisis centres (anyone, any reason — you do not need to be suicidal to contact it): call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. Free and confidential, 24/7. Spanish: press 2, text AYUDA to 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org/es. Interpretation in more than 240 languages — say the language you need. Deaf, DeafBlind and hard-of-hearing callers can dial 988 from a videophone for ASL-fluent counsellors, or use ASL Now on the website; TTY users dial 711 then 988. Veterans: press 1, or text 838255. Calls are routed to a crisis centre near you. The former number, 1-800-273-8255, still works.

Canada — 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline, led by CAMH and funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada, answered by a network of 38 crisis lines: call or text 988, free and confidential, 24/7, in English and French. Phone and text only — there is no chat service. On connecting you choose options for age, language and whether you are Indigenous, and it is up to you how much you share · 988.ca.

Hope for Wellness Helpline, for First Nations, Inuit and Métis: 1-855-242-3310, with online chat, 24/7 — in English, French, Cree, Ojibway and Inuktitut.

Kids Help Phone, for children, teens and young adults up to 29: 1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT to 686868, English and French, and you do not need to give your name.

Australia — Lifeline, an independent charity (anyone in Australia): 13 11 14, free and confidential, 24/7. Text 0477 13 11 14 or chat online, both 24/7 — useful if you cannot speak freely where you are · lifeline.org.au. Support for people who do not speak English, or who have difficulty speaking or hearing, is available through the links on Lifeline's site.

13YARN, delivered by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander crisis supporters: 13 92 76, 24/7.

Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467, 24/7, phone and online counselling. MensLine Australia: 1300 78 99 78, 24/7, phone and online.

New Zealand — 1737 Need to Talk?, operated by Whakarongorau Aotearoa / New Zealand Telehealth Services and funded by Health New Zealand: call or text 1737, free and confidential, 24/7 · 1737.org.nz. Brief one-to-one emotional support with a trained counsellor, or, if you prefer, a peer support worker with lived experience — with an open door to contact them again. It also covers relationships, abuse, sexual abuse and self-harm.

South Africa — SADAG, the South African Depression and Anxiety Group, an independent non-profit, runs the national Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0800 567 567, toll-free, 24/7 · sadag.org. SADAG also takes contact by SMS on 31393. Its other helplines, including the Dr Reddy's and Adcock Ingram lines, run 8am–8pm.

Childline South Africa, for children and young people: 0800 055 555.

Kenya — Befrienders Kenya: +254 722 178 177, by phone, SMS and WhatsApp, Monday to Friday 9am–5pm · befrienders.org. Outside those hours, see findahelpline.com/countries/ke for other options.

Nigeria and Ghana — see findahelpline.com for current lines.

India — Tele-MANAS, the national tele-mental health service of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: 14416 or 1-800-891-4416, toll-free, 24/7, free and confidential · telemanas.mohfw.gov.in. Available in English and 20 regional languages — you choose at the start of the call. An automated menu connects you to a trained counsellor at your state or union territory cell, with a callback when lines are busy. With your consent, a video consultation with a mental health professional can be arranged. It covers relationship and family difficulties as well as anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts.

Philippines — NCMH Crisis Hotline, run by the National Center for Mental Health (everyone, any age): nationwide 1553 or 1800-1888-1553; SMART/TNT 0919-057-1553; Globe/TM 0917-899-8727 or 0966-351-4518. 24/7 and confidential · ncmh.gov.ph. Call costs vary by network and origin.

HOPELINE, run by the Natasha Goulbourn Foundation: 2919 toll-free for Globe/TM, or 0917-558-4673, 24/7. In Touch Crisis Line, independent, free and anonymous: 0917-800-1123, 24/7.

Singapore — Samaritans of Singapore (SOS), an independent non-profit suicide prevention centre: Hotline 1767, 24/7. CareText, on WhatsApp at 9151 1767, also 24/7 — for anyone who cannot speak on the phone, and for people concerned about someone else · sos.org.sg. SOS states that what you share is kept confidential, that you may remain anonymous, and that confidentiality may be broken in defined circumstances. Volunteers offer emotional support and a listening ear rather than professional advice. In immediate danger, 995 or 999.

Thailand — Department of Mental Health: 1323, free, 24/7; primarily Thai, with English assistance reported as available.

Samaritans of Thailand, an independent association: 02-113-6789, 12:00–22:00 daily — press 1 for Thai, press 2 for the English line · samaritansthai.com. Volunteers listen rather than give advice. Chiang Mai centre: 053 225 977 or 053 225 978, 19:00–22:00. Email help@samaritansthai.com, answered within about three days.

Domestic abuse, coercion and sexual violence

If you are afraid of the person you are dating, or have been controlled, threatened, followed, hit or sexually pressured.

Confidentiality and contact with authorities. Confidentiality is not absolute at many services. A service may sometimes disclose information because of a legal requirement or a serious concern about the safety of a child or another person. Entries state published confidentiality limits and police relationships where these could be verified. The absence of a note does not mean that no limits apply. Before disclosing identifying details, you may ask what information the service records, when it may contact police or child-protection authorities, and whether you can speak anonymously.

Duties to report concerns about the safety of a child are common across services and jurisdictions, whether or not an entry below states one. If this affects your decision about what to say, ask the service about its reporting obligations before giving identifying details about yourself or anyone else.

Age. Several services below have a minimum age. Where a country has a service for children and young people, it is listed.

United Kingdom — National Domestic Abuse Helpline, run by Refuge, a charity (for women): 0808 2000 247, free and confidential, 24/7. Live chat Mon–Fri 10am–10pm and weekends 10am–6pm · nationaldahelpline.org.uk. Calls to this UK Freephone number should not appear on an itemised bill, but they may remain in the device's call history. Refuge provides technology-safety guidance for anyone concerned that a device or account may be monitored.

Men's Advice Line, run by Respect, a charity (for men, including trans and non-binary people who feel it is the right service): 0808 8010 327, Mon–Fri 10am–5pm; webchat Mon–Fri 9am–10am · mensadviceline.org.uk. Free from UK landlines and mobiles and does not appear on itemised bills.

England and Wales: Rape Crisis England & Wales, a charity, operates the Ministry of Justice-funded 24/7 Rape & Sexual Abuse Support Line in partnership with three member centres (all genders, aged 16+, in England and Wales): 0808 500 2222, free and confidential, 24/7. Online chat at 247sexualabusesupport.org.uk. You can use the service whatever your immigration status, including if you do not have leave to remain or your status is unsettled; interpreters can be arranged through LanguageLine. Rape Crisis states that it will not tell anyone else what you say except in rare circumstances. It is not an emergency service.

Ireland — Women's Aid, an independent national charity (for women aged 18+ affected by domestic abuse, and people or professionals concerned about someone): National Freephone Helpline 1800 341 900, free and confidential, 24/7. Calls are not recorded, although they may sometimes be monitored for quality assurance and training. Women's Aid cannot guarantee that the number will be absent from a phone bill; it may also remain in the device's call history. If a mobile provider charges for the call, tell the support worker, who can call back if that is safe.

Anonymous instant-message support for adults in the Republic of Ireland: Mon–Fri 10am–10pm; Sat 12pm–3pm and 7pm–10pm; Sun 11am–1pm and 7pm–10pm · womensaid.ie. Interpreting is available in 240 languages, with information videos in Irish Sign Language. Women's Aid states that confidentiality may be limited where disclosure is required by law or a child-protection concern must be reported to Tusla; information needed for a requested referral may be shared after consultation with the user.

Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, an independent charity, runs the National 24-Hour Helpline for anyone in Ireland affected by sexual violence at any point in their life, as well as friends, family and supporters (all genders): 1800 77 8888, free and confidential, 24/7 all year. Calls are not recorded. Interpreting in more than 240 languages is available during published daytime and overnight hours.

Anonymous webchat for adults aged 18+: Mon–Fri 10am–5pm, excluding bank holidays, and Tue–Wed midnight–3am. Text service for Deaf and hard-of-hearing users: 086 823 8443, Mon–Fri 9am–6pm · drcc.ie. DRCC states that its webchat does not seek identifying information, but child-protection concerns must be reported to the appropriate authorities. It is not an emergency service. In immediate danger, call 112 or 999; Ireland's emergency services also accept SMS sent to 112 by users who have registered in advance for that service.

United States — National Domestic Violence Hotline, an independent non-profit (all genders): 1-800-799-7233, free and confidential, 24/7, with support in more than 200 languages. Text START to 88788, or chat at thehotline.org — chat is anonymous and transcripts are purged, but texts remain in your device's message history and message rates may apply. At busy times the site offers an AI chat named Ruth; ask for a live advocate if you want to speak to a person. It does not provide direct financial assistance.

StrongHearts Native Helpline (Native Americans and Alaska Natives): 844-762-8483. National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline: 866-331-9474. Deaf Hotline, video phone: 855-812-1001.

RAINN, an independent non-profit, runs the National Sexual Assault Hotline with more than 1,000 local providers (all genders): 800-656-4673, free, 24/7, English and Spanish. Online chat at rainn.org/hotline, text HOPE to 64673, or Signal for end-to-end encrypted messaging. Texts remain in your device's message history. RAINN states that if you share your name and location and are under 18 or a vulnerable adult, it is required by law to report to authorities in your state, and that it may report if it believes you are considering suicide — but that if you do not share your name and location, the session remains anonymous. Calls are routed to a local provider by the first six digits of your number, which is not stored; outside business hours some providers use an answering service. RAINN also runs a Youth Helproom with moderated group chats for survivors aged 14–24.

Canada — ShelterSafe, run by Women's Shelters Canada, a national organisation (for women and children): a map of more than 600 shelters, and a directory of provincial and territorial crisis lines · sheltersafe.ca. It is a directory rather than a helpline. Provincial lines vary in hours, languages and whether they accept text; several operate 24/7 and offer interpretation.

Kids Help Phone, for children, teens and young adults: 1-800-668-6868, or text CONNECT to 686868, 24/7.

Australia — 1800RESPECT, the national domestic, family and sexual violence counselling service, funded by the Department of Social Services and delivered by Telstra Health (all genders, anyone in Australia, including people supporting someone): 1800 737 732, free from landlines, payphones and most mobiles, 24/7. Text 0458 737 732, online chat and video call, all 24/7 · 1800respect.org.au. Contactable through the National Relay Service; interpreters via TIS, or call TIS directly on 131 450. 1800RESPECT states that calls are recorded with consent and that you may ask for yours not to be; that chat and text interactions are kept, including the number you text from; and that information may be shared confidentially between Telstra Health, the Department of Social Services and their contractors.

13YARN, for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: 13 92 76, 24/7.

New Zealand — Women's Refuge (National Collective of Independent Women's Refuges), an independent organisation (for women and children): Crisisline 0800 733 843, free and confidential, 24/7. Private webchat through the Shielded Site, reached via the Shielded icon on many New Zealand websites; Women's Refuge states the Shielded Site does not appear in browser history, though this cannot protect against software installed on a device · womensrefuge.org.nz.

Shine, an independent organisation (all genders): 0508 744 633, 9am–11pm daily, with webchat.

Shakti, for migrant and refugee women (African, Asian and Middle Eastern communities), multilingual: 0800 742 584, 24/7.

Safe to Talk, the national sexual harm helpline (all genders): 0800 044 334, with webchat.

South Africa — Gender-Based Violence Command Centre, operated by the Department of Social Development and staffed by social workers (all genders): 0800 428 428, toll-free, 24/7 · gbv.org.za. The Centre states it can refer calls directly to SAPS (10111) and to field social workers. Additional channels — "please call me" on *120*7867#, SMS "help" to 31531 for people with disabilities, and the Skype line Helpme GBV for Deaf callers, with South African Sign Language — were affected by a service interruption and reinstated in stages after December 2024; the voice line is the route confirmed to be operating.

TEARS Foundation, an independent non-profit: *134*7355# · tears.co.za.

Thuthuzela Care Centres, at designated clinics and hospitals, for anyone who has been raped: immediate medical care, counselling, and support with reporting to police then or later.

Kenya — National GBV Helpline 1195, run by Healthcare Assistance Kenya, an NGO, in partnership with the State Department of Gender Affairs (all genders): 1195, toll-free, 24/7. Referral pathways include health, legal, shelter and police assistance.

Nigeria — Services vary by state. For current national and local options, begin with lila.help or findahelpline.com.

Lagos State: Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), a Lagos State government agency established by law in 2021, under the Ministry of Justice (all genders, any age, including children reporting directly): 0800 033 3333, toll-free, free and confidential, 24/7. WhatsApp: 0916 984 8920 · lagosdsva.org. Provides counselling, medical support, free legal representation and shelter. Available within Lagos State. As a government agency its remit includes coordinating response with the criminal justice system; the published information reviewed does not state whether or when police contact occurs without the caller's agreement.

Ghana — DOVVSU, the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit, a specialist unit within the Ghana Police Service (all genders; established under the Domestic Violence Act 2007): free services including counselling, medical and legal referral, and a One-Stop Centre in Accra. Find the nearest current contact through police.gov.gh. Contacting DOVVSU means contacting the police. In an emergency, 112 or 191.

The Ark Foundation, Ghana, an independent Christian non-governmental organisation supporting women and children affected by domestic and sexual violence: crisis response, confidential one-to-one counselling, shelter, basic legal aid and advice, medical referrals, and accompaniment to police and court where the survivor wants it. Crisis Response Centre at Haatso, Accra, with a shelter and counselling centre in the Eastern Region · arkfoundationghana.org. It works alongside the police, health institutions, FIDA Ghana and the Legal Aid Board, but you do not have to involve the police to approach it.

For other independent support, see lila.help.

India — Women Helpline 181, run by the Ministry of Women and Child Development under Mission Shakti (for women): 181, toll-free, 24 hours, operational across 34 states and union territories. It is primarily a referral service: it connects callers to police, medical care, legal services, protection officers and One Stop Centres, and arranges emergency response with police support.

One Stop Centres (Sakhi), government-run, 969 nationally: medical aid, counselling, legal aid, temporary shelter, help with lodging an FIR, and police assistance in one place.

Childline 1098, for children. Emergency assistance: 112, which now also covers 181, 100 and 108.

India's independent services are generally city-based rather than national. In Mumbai, SNEHA (Society for Nutrition, Education and Health Action), an independent non-profit, runs crisis centres for women and children facing violence: +91 98922 53038, office hours 10am–7pm, or email crisis@snehamumbai.org · snehamumbai.org. It offers counselling, crisis support and referral, and works with police, health services and legal aid where the survivor wants that. Anyone who has witnessed violence, or is concerned about someone, may also contact it.

For other cities, check lila.help or findahelpline.com. Note that many widely circulated Indian helpline lists carry numbers that are years out of date; where possible use the organisation's own website.

Philippines — Barangay VAW Desk in your area, or the Women and Children Protection Desk at any police precinct, are the designated first points of contact under RA 9262.

PNP Women and Children Protection Center (police): Aleng Pulis text hotline 0919 777 7377 · wcpc.pnp.gov.ph. Emergency: 911.

Department of Social Welfare and Development: counselling, temporary shelter, rape crisis centres and psychosocial services, through local DSWD field and city or municipal social welfare offices.

Case records under RA 9262 are confidential, and unlawful disclosure carries penalties. Calls to 911 concerning violence are referred to the police as lead agency, with DSWD providing psychosocial support and shelter.

Current national numbers are listed by the Philippine Commission on Women at pcw.gov.ph. For independent options, see lila.help.

Singapore — National Anti-Violence and Sexual Harassment Helpline (NAVH), operated by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (all genders): 1800 777 0000, 24/7. A reporting helpline as well as a source of advice. Information is treated as confidential, but MSF states that a police report may be lodged based on what you report where the information must by law be reported to the police.

AWARE, an independent women's organisation (for women): Women's Helpline 1800 777 5555, Mon–Fri 10am–6pm; online text chat and call-back available for people who cannot safely make a phone call · aware.org.sg. Sexual Assault Care Centre: 6779 0282, Mon–Fri 10am–6pm, excluding public holidays. AWARE states that conversations are confidential but that it may disclose information to authorities, including police or child protective services, in defined circumstances. It is not an emergency service.

Thailand — Social Assistance Centre (ศูนย์ช่วยเหลือสังคม), Ministry of Social Development and Human Security (all genders and ages): 1300, free and confidential, 24/7 — domestic violence, family conflict, child abuse and other social emergencies. Also reachable on LINE at @hotline1300 and @esshelpme, where ESS Help Me supports an emergency report based on your location; on Facebook at สายด่วน1300พม.; and by email at oscc1300@m-society.go.th. 1300 can connect you to a hospital One Stop Crisis Centre, which coordinates medical, social and legal assistance. Thai is the main language and English support varies. For immediate police protection, 191. A separate line, 1880, serves the southern border provinces.

Forced marriage and family-based coercion

If you are being pressured into a marriage, or fear punishment, removal or travel abroad for refusing one. Do not approach the family, arrange mediation or announce your plans unless a specialist familiar with forced marriage has advised that it is safe. Family involvement can increase risk or accelerate travel and marriage plans.

Specialist forced-marriage services generally operate in office hours. If you need help outside those hours, contact a 24-hour domestic abuse service or, where there is immediate risk — including being taken abroad — the police or emergency services.

United Kingdom — Karma Nirvana, an independent charity supporting people affected by honour-based abuse and forced marriage (all genders, any age or faith): 0800 5999 247, free, Mon–Fri 9am–5pm. Support in Urdu, Punjabi, Hindi and English. If you cannot call, email support@karmanirvana.org.uk · karmanirvana.org.uk.

Karma Nirvana states that calls are confidential and are not recorded; that you can remain anonymous and may withhold your number; and that it never shares details with other agencies without your permission. In exceptional circumstances it may have a duty to notify the appropriate authorities — if it believes someone is at risk of serious harm, or if it receives information that a child is being abused or neglected — and it states that even then it never shares information with your family. You are told this in a message when you call. If the line is busy you reach a voicemail service, and they call back when it is safe to do so.

Forced Marriage Unit, a joint Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Home Office unit: 020 7008 0151, Mon–Fri 9am–5pm. Out of hours: 020 7008 1500, ask for the Global Response Centre. From overseas: +44 20 7008 0151. Email fmu@fcdo.gov.uk · gov.uk/guidance/forced-marriage. Inside the UK the FMU supports any individual. Overseas it provides consular assistance to British nationals, including dual nationals, and can refer other nationals to local organisations. Its guidance to professionals is never to attempt mediation and never to share information with the family. The FMU also publishes a business-card-sized contact card that can be carried discreetly.

Note: many directories still list fmu@fco.gov.uk, an address predating the FCDO. Use fmu@fcdo.gov.uk.

Australia — My Blue Sky, run by Anti-Slavery Australia at UTS, a not-for-profit legal service, and Australia's national forced marriage service (all genders, including people aged 14–18): (02) 9514 8115, Mon–Fri 9am–5pm. Text 0481 070 844 or email help@mybluesky.org.au — texts are answered within 48 hours, and weekend texts on the next business day · mybluesky.org.au. Interpreters available. If you or someone else is at immediate risk of forced marriage or of being taken overseas to marry, contact the Australian Federal Police on 131 237.

United States — Forced Marriage Initiative at the Tahirih Justice Center, an independent non-profit (regardless of age, race, class, gender, immigration status, nationality or religion): 571-282-6161 or FMI@tahirih.org, Mon–Fri 9am–5:30pm Eastern · preventforcedmarriage.org. It is not a 24-hour hotline. Outside those hours, use the 24/7 services above — the National Domestic Violence Hotline or RAINN — or 911 in immediate danger.

Elsewhere — lila.help lists services by country. Where no specialist service is listed, contact a domestic-abuse service and ask whether it can refer you.

Debt and money

Free, non-judgemental debt advice, distinct from commercial financial advisers.

  • United Kingdom: StepChange, which covers England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and is an approved money adviser in Scotland (stepchange.org, 0800 138 1111, Mon–Fri 8am–8pm, Sat 9am–2pm; online advice tool; British Sign Language video interpreter service). National Debtline, England and Wales only (nationaldebtline.org, 0808 808 4000, Mon–Fri 9am–8pm, Sat 9:30am–1pm, with webchat). In Scotland, free advice is also available from Citizens Advice Scotland's Money Talk Team (0800 028 1456) and Money Advice Scotland, which lists government-funded providers by postcode. In Northern Ireland, Advice NI (0800 0838 018, Mon–Fri 9:30am–5:30pm).
  • Ireland: MABS, the Money Advice and Budgeting Service, free, confidential and independent, funded by the Citizens Information Board (mabs.ie, 0818 07 2000, Mon–Fri 9am–8pm; live chat Mon–Fri 9am–5pm; email helpline@mabs.ie or request a call back; 58 offices nationwide). MABS states it will not discuss your situation with anyone without your signed agreement, and you may remain anonymous; calls are monitored for training. National Traveller MABS: 0818 07 2230.
  • Australia: National Debt Helpline (ndh.org.au, 1800 007 007, weekdays 9:30am–4:30pm; live chat weekdays 9am–8pm, with a message service outside those hours). Interpreters via TIS on 131 450; Deaf callers via the National Relay Service.
  • New Zealand: MoneyTalks, the national free financial helpline, run by FinCap under contract to the Ministry of Social Development (moneytalks.co.nz, 0800 345 123, Mon–Fri 8am–8pm, with weekend hours — check the site for current times). Free text 4029, email help@moneytalks.co.nz, or live chat on the website. Trained financial mentors, free and confidential, also for people enquiring on behalf of someone else, and for anyone being pressured into an immediate financial decision.
  • United States: a non-profit credit-counselling agency accredited by the NFCC (nfcc.org); verify the individual agency's accreditation.
  • Canada: an agency accredited by Credit Counselling Canada (creditcounsellingcanada.ca); verify the individual agency.
  • Elsewhere: look for a government consumer-protection service, a regulated non-profit debt-advice organisation, a citizens' advice service, or an independent financial-counselling body. Avoid organisations that demand substantial upfront fees or promise to erase debt immediately.

Checking that contact is genuine. Never share bank details or identification numbers with someone who contacted you first. Treat any email claiming to be from a debt charity but sent from a personal address as fraud. Be wary of unsolicited approaches about debt solutions.

Finding a counsellor

Regulation differs by country, and sometimes by state or province. Before booking, check the person's qualification, professional membership or licence, relevant experience, supervision, ethical code and complaints process — the questions are in When to Seek Help, or in the support sections of the course.

  • United Kingdom: the BACP and UKCP registers, both accredited by the Professional Standards Authority. Note that counsellor and psychotherapist are not protected titles in the UK — anyone may use them — so checking a register matters. Use the BACP Register to verify someone, not the Therapist Directory, which is a paid advertising listing. If a therapist is not on a register, that may mean they never applied, are ineligible, or have been removed or suspended; UKCP publishes complaints decisions. For CBT specifically, the BABCP's CBT Register covers the UK and Ireland.
  • Ireland: the IACP directory and any applicable statutory register. BACP and IACP recognise each other's accreditation schemes.
  • Australia: PACFA or ACA for counsellors and psychotherapists. Note that counselling and psychotherapy are not regulated under the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme — these are membership registers, not state regulation — so checking one matters. Psychologists are regulated: verify them through the Psychology Board / AHPRA register.
  • New Zealand: NZAC for counsellors, and ask to see a current Annual Practising Certificate. Note that counsellor is not a protected title in New Zealand and counselling is not state regulated, so anyone may use the word; psychologist and psychotherapist are protected under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act, and registration can be verified with the relevant board.
  • United States: verify the practitioner's licence through the relevant state licensing board. Directories such as the ACA's or Psychology Today's can help you find names, but they do not replace licence verification.
  • Canada: regulation varies by province. Verify registration with the applicable provincial college where the profession is regulated; CCPA membership alone is not a provincial licence.
  • South Africa: verify through the HPCSA or another applicable statutory body.
  • Singapore: the Singapore Association for Counselling keeps a professional register; confirm the practitioner's training and current status.
  • Elsewhere: ask a doctor, hospital or national mental-health helpline which professional body regulates counsellors or psychologists in your country.

A Christian counselling association may help you assess faith alignment, but membership does not replace recognised clinical training or professional accountability.

A note on this list

Numbers, hours and services change. Find A Helpline and Lila.help are periodically maintained global directories, but no printed or online directory can guarantee immediate availability. If one contact does not work, try another verified service. If you are in immediate danger, contact the appropriate emergency service or move to the safest available place. A disconnected number does not mean that help is unavailable.

Still open at this review. Five entries are not fully verified, and they are named here rather than left for you to discover. Three details could not be established from the services' own published information and are being confirmed with them directly: the Ark Foundation's telephone number in Ghana, the current helpline email address for Karma Nirvana, and MoneyTalks' weekend hours in New Zealand. Two entries have not yet been checked against the operator's own source: Thailand's Department of Mental Health line 1323, and Credit Counselling Canada. Confirm any of these five with the service itself before relying on it.

Where sources disagreed, this page follows the operator's own website rather than third-party directories, council pages or aggregated helpline lists, which frequently carry numbers and hours that are years out of date.