Whether you need free employment advice, housing support, debt help or a mental health helpline, this page brings together every major UK free support line in one place — verified, up to date, and organised by topic.
All numbers listed are free to call from mobiles and landlines unless marked otherwise. No referral needed — you can call any of these services directly.
Knowing which service to call matters as much as having the number. ACAS handles workplace disputes and is the mandatory first step before most employment tribunal claims. Shelter deals with eviction, homelessness, disrepair and deposit problems. Citizens Advice covers benefits, debt and consumer issues, and can help you prepare a benefits appeal — whether they can represent you at a tribunal hearing varies by local office. National Debtline and StepChange handle debt specifically and neither charges for advice.
Before you call, it helps to have dates, reference numbers and any written correspondence in front of you. Advisers work faster when they can see the sequence of events, and most services cannot look up your case without a reference. If your issue has a deadline attached — a tribunal time limit, a benefit appeal window, a possession notice — say so at the start of the call, because that usually changes how the query is prioritised.
If you're unsure of your rights before calling, use our free employee rights checker, benefits checker or housing rights checker to understand your situation first.
Employment & Workplace
⚖️
Free
ACAS — Employment Advice
Expert guidance on workplace rights, disputes, disciplinaries, dismissal and more. The go-to for employment issues in the UK.
🕐 Hours: Mon–Fri 8am–6pm
📋 What to have ready:- Your contract of employment
- Last 3 payslips
- Any written warnings or letters from your employer
- Dates of key incidents
- Your employment start date
🏛️
Free
Citizens Advice
Free advice on employment, benefits, debt, housing and consumer issues. Local offices across England and Wales.
🕐 Hours: Mon–Fri 9am–5pm (varies by local office)
📋 What to have ready:- Details of your situation in writing
- Any letters or notices received
- Your National Insurance number
- Details of any income or benefits
💼
Free
Equality Advisory Support Service
Specialist advice on discrimination, equality and human rights at work or in services.
🏛️
Free
Employment Tribunal — HMCTS
The official service for making or responding to Employment Tribunal claims. Handles unfair dismissal, discrimination, unpaid wages and more.
🕐 Hours: Mon–Fri 9am–5pm
📋 What to have ready: Your claim reference number, employer details, dates of employment and the issue you're raising.
🔧
Free
HSE — Health & Safety Executive
Report unsafe working conditions, workplace accidents or health and safety concerns to the UK's national regulator.
🕐 Hours: Mon–Thu 8:30am–5pm, Fri 8:30am–4:30pm
📋 What to have ready: Your employer's name and address, description of the hazard or incident, and any dates involved.
Benefits & Financial
💰
Free
Turn2us — Benefits Help
Find out what benefits and grants you are entitled to. Free benefits calculator and grants search.
📋
Free
StepChange — Debt Advice
Free, confidential debt advice and solutions. If you are struggling with debt, StepChange can help you find a way forward.
🕐 Hours: Mon–Fri 8am–8pm, Sat 8am–4pm
📋 What to have ready:- List of all debts with amounts
- Monthly income and outgoings
- Any court orders or bailiff letters
- Bank statements
📋
Free
Universal Credit Helpline — DWP
The official DWP helpline for Universal Credit queries — including sanctions, payment issues, claimant commitments and reporting changes.
🕐 Hours: Mon–Fri 8am–6pm
📋 What to have ready: Your National Insurance number, UC account details and the specific issue you're calling about.
👴
Free
Pension Credit & State Pension — DWP
For queries about State Pension, Pension Credit eligibility, and other pension-related benefits for people at or approaching retirement age.
🕐 Hours: Mon–Fri 8am–6pm
📋 What to have ready: Your National Insurance number, date of birth and details of any existing pension income.
Housing
🏠
Free
Shelter — Housing & Homelessness
Free housing advice for renters, homeowners and anyone facing eviction or homelessness.
🏠
Free
Crisis — Homelessness Charity
Specialist support for people facing homelessness or sleeping rough. Provides advice, emergency support and longer-term help to find stable housing.
🕐 Hours: Mon–Fri 9am–5pm
📋 What to have ready: Your current situation, whether you have any support needs, and your local area.
Mental Health & Wellbeing
🧠
Free24/7
Samaritans
Whatever you are going through, Samaritans are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You do not have to be suicidal to call.
🕐 Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
💬
Free
Mind — Mental Health Support
Information and support for mental health problems, including workplace stress, anxiety and depression.
🕐 Hours: Mon–Fri 9am–6pm (closed bank holidays)
💬
Free
Shout — Crisis Text Line
Free, confidential 24/7 crisis support by text. If you're struggling and don't want to talk on the phone, text SHOUT to 85258.
🕐 Hours: 24/7
📋 What to have ready: Just text — a trained crisis volunteer will respond. No need to explain everything upfront.
🌙
Free
The Silver Line — Older People
Free confidential helpline for older people, open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Offers friendship, information and advice.
🕐 Hours: 24/7, 365 days a year
🎗️
Free
PAPYRUS — Young People at Risk
Confidential support for young people under 35 who are experiencing thoughts of suicide, or for anyone worried about a young person.
🕐 Hours: Mon–Fri 9am–midnight, weekends 2pm–midnight
Safety & Abuse
🚨
Free24/7
National Domestic Abuse Helpline
Free, confidential support for anyone experiencing domestic abuse. Run by Refuge.
🕐 Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
💷
Free
MoneySavingExpert
The UK's biggest money saving website. Expert guides on benefits, debt, energy bills, consumer rights and more. Trusted by millions.
💰
Free
MoneyHelper
Government-backed free money guidance. Covering pensions, debt, budgeting and benefits. Previously known as the Money Advice Service.
📋
Free
National Debtline
Free, independent debt advice for people in England, Wales and Scotland. Specialist advisers available by phone and online.
⚖️
Free
LawWorks
Free legal advice for individuals who cannot afford a solicitor. Connects you with pro bono solicitors and law clinics across England and Wales.
🏠
Free
Refuge
The UK's largest domestic abuse organisation. Provides safe houses, specialist support and the National Domestic Abuse Helpline.
👴
Free
Age UK
Support, advice and information for older people. Covers pension rights, benefits, employment and care. Free advice line available.
👨👩👧
Free
Family Lives
Free helpline and support for families facing all kinds of challenges — parenting, relationships, school issues and family breakdown.
👩👦
Free
Gingerbread — Single Parent Support
Expert advice and support for single parents on benefits, maintenance payments, childcare, work rights and legal issues.
🕐 Hours: Mon–Fri 10am–6pm, Wed 10am–8pm, Sat 10am–2pm
📋 What to have ready: Information about your children, current benefits or work situation, and the specific issue you need help with.
♿
Free
Disability Rights UK
Information and advice on disability rights, benefits, employment and independent living. Led by and for disabled people.
🎓
Free
Child Law Advice
Free legal information and advice on education, special educational needs, school exclusions and children's rights.
🚨
Free
Action Fraud — Fraud & Cybercrime
The UK's national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime. Report scams, identity theft, online fraud and financial crime here.
🕐 Hours: 24/7 online reporting; phones Mon–Fri 8am–8pm
📋 What to have ready: Dates, amounts involved, any contact from the fraudster, and bank transaction records if relevant.
🏦
Free
Financial Ombudsman Service
Free, independent service for settling disputes between consumers and financial businesses. Banks, insurance, pensions and loans.
✈️
Free
ATOL — Civil Aviation Authority
Check if your holiday is ATOL protected. If your travel company goes bust, ATOL protection means you won't lose your money.
🛒
Free
Which? Consumer Rights
Free consumer rights guides, product recalls, scam alerts and advice on returning goods, faulty products and your legal rights as a consumer.
🏥
Free
NHS — Health Rights
Your rights as an NHS patient. Covering complaints, waiting times, mental health, prescriptions and access to treatment.
When You Need to Talk to a Person
Online guidance is good for understanding where you stand. It is not good at three in the morning when you are frightened, or when a situation is moving faster than you can research it. This page lists the UK organisations that will actually pick up the phone, what each one is genuinely good at, and when to call which.
Choosing the Right Organisation
Calling the wrong helpline wastes a day you may not have. The broad split is worth knowing.
- Employment problems — ACAS on 0300 123 1100. Free, impartial, and the body you must contact for Early Conciliation before most tribunal claims anyway.
- Housing and eviction — Shelter on 0808 800 4444. Particularly strong on urgent homelessness and illegal eviction.
- Benefits, debt and everything else — Citizens Advice on 0800 144 8848.
- Debt specifically — StepChange on 0800 138 1111 or National Debtline on 0808 808 4000. Both free, both independent of your creditors.
- Data and privacy — the ICO on 0303 123 1113.
What to Have Ready Before You Call
Advisers can help far more in ten minutes if you arrive prepared. Have dates to hand — when things happened, not roughly when. Have any letters, notices or payslips in front of you. Know what outcome you actually want, because "I want them to know they were wrong" and "I want my money back" lead to completely different advice.
Running the relevant free checker first is a good use of ten minutes. It will not replace the call, but it means you arrive knowing the right vocabulary and the right questions.
Free Advice Is Not Second-Rate Advice
There is a persistent belief that free advice is worse advice. For most everyday problems it simply is not true. ACAS advisers deal with employment law every day. Shelter's housing advisers are specialists. Free does not mean unqualified — it means funded differently.
If You Are in Crisis
If you are in immediate danger, call 999. For domestic abuse, the National Domestic Abuse Helpline runs 24 hours on 0808 2000 247. If you are struggling to cope, Samaritans are available at any hour on 116 123, free from any phone.
General rights guidance, not legal advice.