Where to go in a crisis
Who to call in immediate danger
If you or someone you know are in immediate danger either due to a medical emergency, accident or crime being committed call 999.
Making an emergency call
If you are in an emergency situation and need help, but are unable to speak, let the 999 operator know your call is genuine.
- Dial 999
- Listen to the questions from the 999 operator
- Respond by coughing or tapping the handset if you can
- If prompted press 55. This lets the operator know it is a genuine call and you will be put through to the correct service
The Next Link website has more information on making a call to emergency services if you are unable to speak.
If you or someone you know is in a crisis there are a number of organisations that can offer support. See below for information in the following circumstances.
Page contents:
- Medical emergency
- General support and advice
- Domestic abuse support
- Sexual abuse support
- Housing support
- Hate crime support
- Emergency social work services
- Support with personal care
- Safeguarding support
Medical emergency
Call 111 if you or someone you know needs urgent care, but it is not life threatening. The NHS 111 Service can also help if you have an urgent medical problem and you are not sure what to do. They can help to direct you to the right service.
You can also contact your GP surgery and ask for an emergency appointment.
Go to A&E directly if you need immediate help and are worried about your safety.
Call 999 if you or someone you know experiences an acute life-threatening medical or mental health emergency.
The NHS website has contact details if you are dealing with a mental health crisis or emergency.
General support and advice
Samaritans
Samaritans offer a free listening service for whatever you are going through. They are there 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. When you contact a Samaritan there is no judgement or pressure. They are there for anyone who needs someone to listen. You can contact Samaritans by:
- Phone: 116123
- Email: jo@samaritans.org
- Post: Chris, Freepost RSRB-KKBY-CYJK, PO Box 9090, Stirling. FK8 2SA
There is more information on contacting the Samaritans on their website.
Domestic abuse support
24 hour National Domestic Violence Helpline.
- Phone: 0808 2000 247
Next Link
Next Link provides support services for women, men and children in South Gloucestershire who are, or have been victims of domestic abuse. Their services include telephone help and advice, safe house accommodation, community outreach services and group programmes.
Referrals can be made by telephone, email or through the Next Link website. At the first point of contact there is a triage advice service, and all victims asking for support are offered a relevant service that meets their needs and responds to their immediate safety risks. Callers wanting advice and guidance can access the accredited advice service.
You can also talk anonymously with their support workers through their live chat helpline.
You can contact Next Link by:
- Phone: 0800 4700 280
- Email: enquiries@nextlinkhousing.co.uk
For more information about the services Next Link offer and how to contact them see the Next Link website.
Next Link provide the following information if you are in a crisis
If you need to leave home in an emergency:
Call them on: 0800 4700 280. At night there will be an answer phone but do not worry, help is still available.
Contact the police and they will help you get to a safe place and then contact Next Link in the morning.
If you need medical attention go to a hospital casualty department.
If possible take with you your own front door key, any benefit books or proof of identity.
For further information about domestic abuse support, see the council’s article on domestic abuse and housing.
Sexual abuse support
SARSAS (Somerset & Avon rape and Sexual abuse support)
SARSAS are a specialist support service for people in Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset, Somerset, or South Gloucestershire, who have experienced any form of sexual violence, at any point in their lives.
They offer a confidential helpline, regular support sessions, counselling, and email support to individuals. They also support the friends and family of people affected by sexual violence. You can contact them by:
- Phone: 0808 801 0456 or 0808 801 0464
- Email: support@sarsas.org.uk
For more information on the support SARSAS can offer and ways of getting in touch see the SARSAS website.
Housing support
Homechoice
If you are worried about losing your home, or are homeless already please contact Homechoice for advice:
- Phone: 01454 868005
- Email: Homelessness@southglos.gov.uk
If you are worried about someone who you think is sleeping rough, you can report this through the Street Link website, they respond to every report by going out and looking for the person.
For further information about housing support, see the council’s article on advice about homelessness.
Shelter
Shelter campaign on homelessness and provide housing advice. You can contact their expert housing advisers by phone, online or at one of their local advice centres:
Urgent helpline number: 0808 800 4444
Open every day of the year:
- 8am - 8pm on weekdays
- 9am - 5pm on weekends
You should use this line if:
- you have nowhere to sleep, or might be homeless soon
- you have somewhere to sleep, but nowhere to call home
- you are/could be at risk of harm
For more information on how to contact Shelter, as well as housing advice and contact details for other services and organisations which may be able to help you see the Shelter website.
Hate Crime support
Crimes committed against someone because of their disability, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation or transgender-identity are hate crimes and should be reported to the police.
If you are a victim of a hate crime or have witnessed a hate crime you can find further information including how to report a crime on the council’s article on Hate crime.
Emergency social work services
Emergency Duty Team
The Emergency Duty Team provides an emergency social work service across South Gloucestershire as well as Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol and North Somerset at night, weekends and bank holidays.
The service can help you when personal, family or accommodation problems have reached a crisis and cannot wait until the next working day.
The service can help with:
- concerns about a child
- concerns about an older adult
- concerns about a person with a disability
- breakdown of care arrangements
- acute mental health problems
- difficulties with children and young people
- emergency housing advice
You can contact them by:
- Phone: 01454 615165
You will be prompted to leave a voice message, please leave your phone number and a brief reason for your call, you will be contacted as soon as possible by an experienced Social Worker who is confident in dealing with crisis situations.
If English is not your first language, the Emergency Duty Team will arrange for an interpreter so you can tell them about your concerns.
If you are deaf or hard of hearing, text ‘EDT’ followed by your name and message to 60066. You will be sent an immediate reply to confirm that your text has been received. An Emergency Duty Team Officer will contact you by text to discuss your concerns. This should happen within 30 minutes, although during busy periods this may take longer.
If you have hearing and speech difficulties, you may be able to use BT’s relay service to contact the Emergency Duty Team. For more information visit: Relay UK - homepage.
Support with personal care
Rapid Response
If you have a crisis at home, the Rapid Response service is a team of emergency response staff that provide personal care either in an emergency or urgent care crisis. The service is available 365 days of the year.
They are able to help where a need exists for urgent personal care without which the person would suffer some harm and where no other source, formal or informal, of assisting with that can be found. The Emergency Rapid Response Team is a last resort emergency care and support team for adults in crisis.
Rapid Response are unable to carry out tasks which would ordinarily be provided by an agency such as laundry, cleaning and other household tasks. Rapid Response do not administer medication.
See the council’s article on the Rapid Response service for more information.
Safeguarding support
It is important if you or someone you know is being abused, that you tell someone so that they can help. See South Gloucestershire Children’s Partnership and Safeguarding Adults Board joint website for more information.
If you are concerned about a child, call 01454 866000 in office hours, or 01454 615165 out of hours or at weekends. In an emergency call 999.
If you are concerned about an adult, call 01454 868007 in office hours, or 01454 615165 out of hours or at weekends. In an emergency call 999.