Samaritans
Free, 24-hour listening for anyone who is struggling — you do not have to be suicidal to call, and you do not have to give your name.
Visit their website →Registered charity 219432
Samaritans has answered the phone in the UK and Ireland since 1953. It is the closest thing this country has to a universal service: free from any phone, open every hour of every year, and staffed by trained volunteers whose only job is to listen.
The number 116 123 does not appear on itemised phone bills. That detail matters more than it sounds — for someone living with a partner who checks the bill, it is the difference between calling and not calling.
You will not be told what to do, and you will not be diagnosed. Volunteers are trained to let you say what you need to say, at whatever pace you can manage, including in silence.
Samaritans 24/7 listening service
Confidential listening by phone, email or letter, any time of day or night.
- United Kingdom
- 116 123
Call Samaritans, free, 24 hours a day
Free from any phone, including mobiles with no credit. Does not appear on itemised bills.
Open 24 hours, every day
- Free to call
- Freephone number
- You do not have to give your name
- Does not appear on an itemised bill
Checked 31 July 2026 against their own page
People contact them about: thinking about suicide, hurting myself, nothing feels worth it, depression, anxiety and panic, someone i love died, completely alone, a relationship has ended, money, debt or housing, work is breaking me.
Samaritans Welsh Language Line
Confidential listening in Welsh.
- United Kingdom
- 0808 164 0123
Call the Welsh Language Line
Open 7pm to 11pm every day.
Every day 19:00–23:00
- Free to call
- Freephone number
- You do not have to give your name
Checked 31 July 2026 against their own page
People contact them about: thinking about suicide, nothing feels worth it, depression.
Is something here wrong?
A number that no longer works is the most serious thing that can go wrong on this site. If you have tried one of these and it did not connect, please tell us and we will check it the same day.
We are not affiliated with Samaritans and we do not speak for them. This page describes their service as they publish it; their own site is always the authority.