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Where to turn when it cannot wait
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 999 or go to A&E. If you need urgent mental-health help but it is not an emergency, in England call NHS 111 and select the mental-health option or use NHS 111 online where appropriate.
If somebody needs urgent mental-health help, you do not have to work out the entire system yourself.
Immediate danger
Call 999 or go to A&E if you or somebody else is in danger. A mental-health emergency should be treated as seriously as a physical emergency.
Urgent but not an emergency
In England, NHS 111 provides access to urgent mental-health support. Call 111 and select the mental-health option. Existing mental-health service users may also have a crisis contact from their care team.
Not sure?
Use the NHS urgent mental-health guidance linked on this page. If risk becomes immediate, escalate to emergency services.
Useful next pages
Trusted help & further reading
- NHS — where to get urgent help for mental health
- NHS Every Mind Matters — helping others
- Samaritans — if you're worried about someone else
This section is practical guidance, not emergency or clinical care. If somebody's safety is at immediate risk, use emergency services.