Community services that can help

support image

What is it?

Wellbeing Tools
  • Information about support available on a range of topics. 
  • Includes resources on housing, finances, legal support & disability services. 
  • Provides a brief description and contact information.

Here's more detail

Published: 02/08/24

Description

We know that the amount of information out there can be overwhelming and it can be difficult to know where to go when you need support.

This page is intended to help you identify services, advice or information on a range of commonly occurring topics.

These topics include: 

  • Ageing
  • BME services
  • Disabilities
  • Domestic Abuse
  • Housing
  • Legal
  • Parenting (+SEND)
  • Financial support
tree image

Accordions

  • Abuse (including childhood abuse)

    The DABS directory: A comprehensive resource publication which lists over 650 services, groups and organisations in the UK & Ireland that specialise in areas of abuse and sexual violence. There are services for children and young people, those with disabilities, learning disabilities and for those working with perpetrators.

    One in Four

    A UK charity dedicated to supporting individuals who have experienced sexual abuse through emotional and practical assistance, counselling, and advocacy. 

    NACAP (National Association for People Abused in Childhood)

    • Description: Offers support and resources for individuals who have experienced abuse in childhood, including counseling and advocacy services.
    • Contact details:

    Safe Spaces England and Wales

    • Description: Safe Spaces is a free and independent support service, providing a confidential, personal, and safe space for anyone who has been abused by someone in the Church or as a result of their relationship with the Church of England, the Catholic Church in England and Wales or the Church in Wales.
    • Contact details:

  • Ageing

    Age UK

    • Description: Offers a range of services including befriending, advice, advocacy, IT training, exercise classes, foot care, shopping, transport, home repairs, and social activities.
    • Contact details:

    Silverline

    • Description: Provides a 24/7 helpline offering information, friendship, and advice for older people.
    • Contact details:

    Independent Age

    • Description: Provides free and impartial advice on care, benefits, and social support for older people.
    • Contact details:

    Friends of the Elderly

    • Description: Offers support including care homes, community care, and grants for older individuals.
    • Contact details:

  • Befriending

    St Vincent De Paul Society

    • Description: Provides face-to-face befriending services for anyone in need.
    • Contact details:

    Omega (Penpals + Telephone Befriending)

    Befriending.co.uk

    • Description: Directory for finding local befriending schemes across the UK.
    • Contact details:

    Age UK Call in Time

    • Description: Telephone friendship service for older adults.
    • Contact details:

  • BME Services

    Muslim Women’s Network UK

    • Description: Provides support and advocacy for Muslim women, including a dedicated helpline.
    • Contact details:

    Southall Black Sisters

    Jewish Women’s Aid

    • Description: Provides domestic abuse and sexual violence support for Jewish women.
    • Contact details:
      • Domestic abuse helpline: 0808 801 0500
      • Sexual violence support line: 0808 801 0656
      • Website: Jewish Women’s Aid

    Roj’s Women Association

  • Crisis

    Samaritans

    • Description: Provides 24/7 support for anyone in distress or crisis.
    • Contact details:

    Maytree

    • Description: Offers a 4-night stay for individuals feeling suicidal, providing a safe and confidential environment.
    • Contact details:
      • Helpline: 0207 263 7070 (10am-6pm daily)
      • Website: Maytree

    Camden Crisis Sanctuary

    Shout 85258

    • Description: 24/7 text service providing immediate support for anyone in crisis.
    • Contact details:
      • Text: 85258
      • Website: Shout

  • Disability/Advice Support

    Signhealth

    • Description: Provides support for deaf and deafblind individuals, including mental health services.
    • Contact details:
      • Phone: 0208 772 3241
      • Text: 07970 350 366
      • Website: Signhealth

    Respond

    • Description: Offers services for survivors of trauma and abuse with learning difficulties.
    • Contact details:

    Scope

    • Description: Provides practical information and emotional support for disabled people.
    • Contact details:
      • Helpline: 0808 800 3333
      • Website: Scope

    Disability Rights UK

    • Description: Campaigns and provides support for disabled individuals, offering advice and information.
    • Contact details:

    VoiceAbility

    • Description: Provides advocacy services to support individuals in navigating health and social care systems, ensuring their voices are heard and their rights are upheld.
    • Contact details:

  • Domestic abuse

    Freedom Project

    • Description: Provides a helpline and runs the Freedom Programme for domestic abuse survivors, which examines abusive behavior and its impact, and offers online programs for behavior improvement.
    • Contact Details:

    Solace Women’s Aid

    • Description: Offers advice, support, and therapeutic services to women and children experiencing domestic or sexual violence, including counseling, body therapies, specialized groups, and well-being classes.
    • Contact Details:
      • Free Advice Hotline: 0808 802 5565
        • Hours:
          • Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: 10am – 4pm
          • Tuesday: 10am – 4pm & 6pm - 8pm
      • Website: Solace Women’s Aid

    Respect Phone Line

    • Description: A service that works with perpetrators and survivors. There is a phone line you can use to have a conversation about your behaviour and/or your partners behaviour.
    • Contact Details

    Woman’s Trust

    • Description: Provides free domestic violence support groups and workshops on domestic violence awareness, healthy relationships, and family law. Sessions are available in East and West London.
    • Contact Details:

    Women’s Aid

    • Description:  Women’s Aid is a network of organisations dedicated to providing support, resources, and advocacy for women experiencing domestic violence and abuse.
    • Women’s Aid have created The Survivor’s Handbook which provides practical support and information for women experiencing domestic abuse, with simple guidance on every aspect of seeking support.
    • Contact Details:

    Please see below for some more helpful resources:

    how-to-tell-if-your-abusive-partner-is-changing.pdf
    87.64 KB, PDF
    The Power and Control Wheel - Duluth.pdf
    672.88 KB, PDF

  • Female only services

    TaskHer

    • Description: The only purpose-driven online booking platform dedicated to giving tradeswomen equal opportunities and rates of pay.
    • Contact details:

    Spanners with Manners

  • Financial support and cost of living help

    StepChange Debt Charity

    • Description: Offers free debt advice and support based on a comprehensive assessment of individual situations.
    • Contact Details:

    Debt Free Advice

    • Description:  A coalition of charities led by Toynbee Hall and funded by the Money and Pensions Service. They provide free, expert advice to individuals with problem debt.
    • Contact Details: 

    The Trussell Trust

    • Description: A nationwide network of food banks. The Trussel Trust provide emergency food and support to people locked in poverty.
    • Contact Details

    Entitled To

    • Description: Simplifies the UK benefits system to help individuals quickly find out what financial support they may be entitled to.
    • Contact Details:

    Turn2us

    • Description: National charity providing practical help and support to people struggling financially.
    • Contact Details:

    Money Saving Expert

    • Description: Consumer website dedicated to cutting bills, finding deals, and campaigning for financial justice.
    • Contact Details:

    Help for Households

    • Description: Offers support to help with the cost of living and energy-saving tips.
    • Contact Details:

    Independent Age

    • Description: Provides practical help and support to individuals struggling financially, including grants for various needs.
    • Contact Details:

    Surviving Economic Abuse

    • Description: Offers support and information for individuals experiencing economic abuse, including grants and financial help.
    • Contact Details:

    Greater London Authority

    • Description: Provides grants or emergency payments to individuals in financial crisis within London.
    • Contact Details:

    Family Action

    • Description: Tackles issues facing families, including financial hardship, mental health problems, and domestic abuse, providing grants and support.
    • Contact Details:

  • Immigration

    Citizens Advice

    • Description: Provides advice on immigration issues, including visa applications, asylum, refugees, trafficking, deportation, and living in the UK illegally. Refers complicated cases to other specialists.

    • Contact Details:

    Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI)

    • Description: Offers legal advice through fixed-fee appointments with solicitors and operates three helplines for undocumented migrants, foreign national prisoners, and UNISON members.
    • Contact Details:
      • Website: JCWI Legal Advice
      • Helplines:
        • Undocumented migrants: 020 7553 7470
        • Foreign national prisoners: 020 7553 7468 / Fax: 020 7251 8707

  • Housing

    Shelter

    • Description: Offers expert housing advice, information, and guides on various housing issues such as homelessness, private renting, tenancy deposits, eviction, and repairs. Provides face-to-face outreach in London.
    • Contact Details:
      • Phone: 0808 800 4444 (Mon-Fri 8am-8pm, Weekends 9am-5pm)
      • Emergency Number: 0808 1644 660
      • London Hub Number: 0330 053 6091
      • Website: Shelter
      • Shelter Legal: Shelter Legal

    Pavement

    • Description: Provides searches for hostels, shelters, housing services, and advice.
    • Contact Details:

    Z2K

    • Description: Anti-poverty charity offering housing, benefit, and support services for those under 65 on low income or eligible for certain benefits. Accepts self-referrals or referrals from organizations.
    • Contact Details:
      • Phone: 0207 259 0801
      • Website: Z2K

  • Legal

    Advice Now

    • Free guides on legal matters like divorce, child contact, benefit appeals, legal aid, and discrimination.
    • Advice Now Guides

    Citizens Advice

    • Advice on benefits, work rights, debt, family issues, housing, laws and courts, and health care.
    • Phone: 03444 111 444
    • Citizens Advice
    • Web chat service available.

    Family Rights Group

    • Legal and practical advice for families with children in need, at risk, or in the care system.
    • Supports kinship carers and advocates for parents in child protection cases.
    • Phone: 0808 801 0366 (Mon-Fri 9am-3.30pm)
    • Email: office@frg.org.uk
    • Family Rights Group

    Law Centres

    • Legal advice, casework, and representation specializing in social welfare law including welfare rights, disability rights, immigration, housing, employment, community care, discrimination, and debt.
    • Law Centres Network

    Rights of Women

    • Free legal advice for women and girls on domestic and sexual violence, marriage, children, divorce, finances, legal aid, immigration, and asylum.
    • National Family Law Line (England and Wales): 020 7251 6577 (Tue-Thu 7pm-9pm, Fri 12pm-2pm)
    • London Family Law Line: 020 7608 1137 (Mon 10am-12pm, 2pm-4pm; Tue-Wed 2pm-4pm; Thu 10am-12pm, 2pm-4pm)
    • Email: info@row.org.uk
    • Rights of Women

  • Low-fee therapy services

  • Parenting (including SEND)

    Parenting smart

    SOS! SEN

    • Description: Free help and advice line for parents wanting information and support on special educational needs and disabilities. Information sheets and workshops on transfers, annual reviews, writing documents and appealing EHCP contents and decisions.
    • Phone:0208 538 3731 (9-5 Monday-Friday in term time)
    • Website:https://sossen.org.uk

    Family Fund

  • Rape and sexual violence

    The My Body Back Project

    • Description: Offer cervical screening, contraceptive care, STI testing and maternity care for people who’ve experienced sexual violence.
    • Contact details:

Recommended by Community services that can help

podcast image

Podcasts about Trauma

Podcasts dedicated to exploring the complexities of trauma, offering insights, support, and understanding to those navigating its impacts.
Wellbeing Tools / Audio
square tavi logo

Trauma Service

An award winning service with special expertise to help adults in the aftermath of trauma.
Local Services
Beacon House

Beacon House Trauma Resources

A website offering free resources written using a ‘trauma lens’ and offering information, ideas and strategies from this perspective.
National Groups / Website
Trauma icon

Trauma

Trauma can take time, support, and mental health professionals in the healing process.
Wellbeing Tools

You may also like...

Creativity icon

Creativity

Creativity goes hand in hand with imagination, self-expression and innovation.
Wellbeing Tools
Inks

INKS

An app that updates pinball with puzzles and art and combines relaxation and skill.
Wellbeing Tools / App
Nip in the Bud logo

Nip in the Bud

A mental health awareness charity providing free online films and fact sheets created with expert input, covering various mental health conditions and real-life experiences, aiming to promote early intervention in collaboration with professionals.
National Groups / Video
Be Mindful

Be Mindful

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) course to reduce stress, depression, anxiety and enhance general wellbeing.
Wellbeing Tools / Course
gratitude square

The Wheel of Life Video

In this video Kate, a trainee health psychologist, takes us through the The Wheel of Life exercise. This is a simple yet powerful tool for visualising all areas of your life at once to see where you could make improvements.
Wellbeing Tools / Video
Healiops

Healios

A platform offering digital mental health services for children and young people, including personalised autism and ADHD services.
Local Services / Platform
Sleep icon

Sleep

This page discusses the importance of rest for emotional wellbeing in a busy life, highlighting how adequate sleep regulates mood and concentration.
Wellbeing Tools
Logo

Feeling Good Teens

An app for 10-15 year-olds with relaxing audio tracks intended to help with letting go of worries, coping with stress, and sleeping better.
Wellbeing Tools / App
Catch It

Catch It

An app that teaches you to manage anxiety and depression by helping you to reframe negative thoughts into positive ones.
Wellbeing Tools / App
Games icon

Games

Games can as a means to escape life's stressors, enhance various life skills, foster social connections, and boost emotional wellbeing.
Wellbeing Tools
Rest icon

Rest

It’s really important to get rest and relaxation for emotional wellbeing. Adequate sleep regulates mood and reduces stress.
Wellbeing Tools
Mindfulness for Teen Worry image

Mindfulness for Teen Worry

A self-help online book with strategies to manage common teen worries, including simple and effective mindfulness techniques.
Wellbeing Tools / Book
BBC Bitesize Logo

BBC Bitesize Parents' Toolkit: SEND

A website with activities, advice and personal stories about parenting and special educational needs and disabilities to help you support your family.
Wellbeing Tools / Website