Community services that can help

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. 

• Email: info@1in4.org.uk
• Website: https://oneinfour.org.uk

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:
  • General enquiries: 0800 085 3330
  • Website: NACAP

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:
  • General enquiries: 0300 303 1056
  • Website: Safe Spaces

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:
  • Free advice line: 0800 678 1602 (8am-7pm daily)
  • Website: Age UK Services

Silverline

• Description: Provides a 24/7 helpline offering information, friendship, and advice for older people.
• Contact details:
  • Helpline: 0800 470 8090
  • Website: Silverline

Independent Age

• Description: Provides free and impartial advice on care, benefits, and social support for older people.
• Contact details:
  • Helpline: 0800 319 6789
  • Website: Independent Age

Friends of the Elderly

• Description: Offers support including care homes, community care, and grants for older individuals.
• Contact details:
  • Website: Friends of the Elderly

St Vincent De Paul Society

• Description: Provides face-to-face befriending services for anyone in need.
• Contact details:
  • Email: info@svp.org.uk
  • Phone: 0207 703 3030
  • Website: SVP Befriending

Omega (Penpals + Telephone Befriending)

• Description: Offers penpal and telephone befriending services to combat loneliness.
• Contact details:
  • Email: chatterbox@omega.uk.net
  • Phone: 01743 245088
  • Website: Omega Chatterbox

Befriending.co.uk

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

Age UK Call in Time

• Description: Telephone friendship service for older adults.
• Contact details:
  • Website: Age UK Call in Time

Muslim Women’s Network UK

• Description: Provides support and advocacy for Muslim women, including a dedicated helpline.
• Contact details:
  • Helpline: 0800 999 5786
  • General phone: 0121 236 9000
  • Email: contact@mwnuk.co.uk
  • Website: MWNUK

Southall Black Sisters

• Description: Offers advice, advocacy, and support to black and minority women.
• Contact details:
  • Helpline: 020 8571 0800
  • Email: info@southallblacksisters.org.uk
  • Website: 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

• Description: Supports Kurdish, Turkish, and Cypriot women with various services.
• Contact details:
  • Email: info@rojwomen.org.uk
  • Website: Roj Women

Samaritans

• Description: Provides 24/7 support for anyone in distress or crisis.
• Contact details:
  • Helpline: 116123
  • Email: jo@samaritans.org
  • Website: Samaritans

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

• Description: Walk-in service providing crisis support for individuals in the Camden area.
• Contact details:
  • Email: Camden.CrisisSanctuary@hestia.org
  • Phone: 07825 165464
  • Website: Camden Crisis Sanctuary

Shout 85258

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

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:
  • ISVA: 0207 380 8257
  • Email: isva@respond.org.uk
  • Website: Respond

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:
  • General enquiries: 0330 995 0400
  • Website: Disability Rights UK

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:
  • General enquiries: 0300 303 1660
  • Website: VoiceAbility

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:
  • Phone (24 hr): 01942 262 27
  • Email: chris@fpcharity.co.uk
  • Website: Freedom Programme

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
  • Free advice phone line: 08088024040
  • Website: Respect Phone Line

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:
  • Phone: 0207 034 0303 (9.30am-5pm)
  • Email: admin@womanstrust.org.uk
  • Website: Woman’s Trust

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:
  • Live Chat (Mon-Fri 8am-6pm, Sat-Sun 10am-6pm)
  • Email: helpline@womensaid.org.uk
  • Website: https://www.womensaid.org.uk

Please see below for some more helpful resources:

TaskHer

• Description: The only purpose-driven online booking platform dedicated to giving tradeswomen equal opportunities and rates of pay.
• Contact details:
  • Website: https://www.taskher.co.uk

Spanners with Manners

• Description: London’s first all female garage.
• Contact details
  • ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Website: https://spannerswithmanners.co.uk
  • Email: spannerswithmanners@gmail.com
  • Phone: +442070182992

StepChange Debt Charity

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

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: 
  • Phone: 0800 808 5700
  • Website: Debt Free Advice

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
  • Website: The Trussell Trust

  • Help Through Hardship Helpline:  08082082138 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm)

Entitled To

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

Turn2us

• Description: National charity providing practical help and support to people struggling financially.
• Contact Details:
  • Website: Turn2us

Money Saving Expert

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

Help for Households

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

Independent Age

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

Surviving Economic Abuse

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

Greater London Authority

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

Family Action

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

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:
  • Website: Citizens Advice
  • More Information: Citizens Advice Immigration

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

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:
  • Website: Pavement Services

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

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

• London Art Therapy Centre
• Other affordable options for people on low incomes – the free psychotherapy network
• Low-fee intensive psychotherapy - The British Psychotherapy Foundation

Parenting smart

• Description: Practical advice for parents and carers from children’s mental health charity place2be
• Website:https://parentingsmart.place2be.org.uk

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

• Description: Grants and support for families of children with disabilities
• Website:https://www.familyfund.org.uk/family-fund-support

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:
  • Website: https://mybodybackproject.com