If this is an emergency, stop reading and call
Chest pain, trouble breathing, signs of stroke, heavy bleeding, a serious injury, someone unconscious, or thoughts of ending your life with a plan — these are emergencies. Websites can't help with them; people can.
United States and Canada
911
Suicide and mental-health crisis: call or text 988 (US) or 9-8-8 (Canada), free, 24/7. US veterans: 988 then press 1. Poison control (US): 1-800-222-1222.
United Kingdom
999
Not sure it's an emergency? Call NHS 111 or use 111 online. Mental-health crisis: Samaritans 116 123 (free, 24/7) or text SHOUT to 85258. Deaf or hard of hearing: 18000 from a textphone.
Urgent, but not an emergency
- US: urgent-care centres for same-day problems; your insurer's nurse line (number on your card) for advice.
- Canada: provincial health lines — 811 in most provinces — for 24/7 nurse advice; walk-in clinics for same-day care.
- UK: NHS 111 for advice and out-of-hours GP; pharmacies for minor illness (Pharmacy First in England).
Other lines people ask us for
- Domestic abuse: US 1-800-799-7233 · Canada 211 for local services · UK 0808 2000 247 (24/7)
- Sexual assault: US RAINN 1-800-656-4673 · UK Rape Crisis 0808 500 2222
- Alcohol and drugs: US SAMHSA 1-800-662-4357 · UK Frank 0300 123 6600
- Eating disorders: US National Alliance for Eating Disorders 1-866-662-1235 · UK Beat 0808 801 0677
Numbers checked 10 September 2026. If one doesn't connect, search the service name — organisations change numbers, and we'd rather you got through than waited for us to update.