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01273 405800

I need urgent help

If you or someone else needs urgent help, use the options below to find the right support.

You do not need to be receiving support from Southdown to use these services.

Southdown is not an emergency service; if you need immediate support you can reach out to the services below:

Help with a mental health crisisHelp if you are homeless or have nowhere safe to stayHelp if you have a learning disability or are autisticHelp if you feel unsafe at homeAre you already supported by Southdown?

Is someone in immediate danger?

Call 999 or go to your nearest A&E if:

  • someone’s life is at risk;
  • someone has seriously injured themselves or taken an overdose; or
  • you do not feel able to keep yourself or someone else safe.

A mental health emergency should be taken as seriously as a physical emergency. You will not be wasting anyone’s time.

Help with a mental health crisis

You can also use these services if you are worried about someone else:

Call NHS 111 and select the mental health option.

You can speak to a trained mental health professional and find out what support is available.

The service is available 24 hours a day.

Call NHS 111

If you need someone to listen, you can call Samaritans free at any time of the day or night.

You do not have to be feeling suicidal. A trained volunteer will listen without judgement and will not tell you what to do.

Call Samaritans on 116 123

Text SUSSEX to 85258 for free, confidential mental health support by text.

The service is available 24 hours a day.

Text SUSSEX to 85258

If you are worried that you or someone else may be thinking about suicide, guidance is available to help you understand what to do next.

The Sussex suicide prevention resource includes:

  • signs that someone may be struggling;
  • advice on starting a conversation about suicide;
  • what to do if someone says they are having suicidal thoughts; and
  • ways to get help in Sussex.

If someone has attempted suicide or you believe they are at immediate risk of taking their own life, call 999 or go to A&E.

Visit the Sussex suicide prevention resource

Staying Well services offer welcoming, out-of-hours mental health crisis support for adults aged 18 and over.

Services are available in Brighton, Crawley, Eastbourne, Hastings and Worthing.

Find a Staying Well service

Help if you are homeless or have nowhere safe to stay

Southdown cannot provide emergency accommodation directly.

Most of our services only accept referrals from organisations and partners we work with, usually local authorities or health and social care services.

If you are homeless, at risk of becoming homeless or have nowhere safe to stay tonight, contact the homelessness or Housing Options team at your local council.

Your council is usually the best place to start and should provide information about getting help outside normal opening hours.

Find your local council

Shelter provides free, independent housing advice if you:

  • are homeless;
  • have nowhere to stay tonight;
  • are at risk of harm or abuse at home; or
  • are worried about losing your home.

Shelter does not provide accommodation.

Call 0808 800 4444, Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm.

Visit Shelter’s housing advice pages

StreetLink can alert a local outreach team if you are sleeping rough or are concerned about someone sleeping rough.

StreetLink is not an emergency service and does not provide accommodation.

If someone needs emergency help or the person sleeping rough is under 18, call 999.

Contact StreetLink

If you have nowhere safe to stay because of domestic abuse, see the Do you feel unsafe at home? section below.

Help if you have a learning disability or are autistic

You can use the same emergency and mental health services listed above.

Call 999 if you or someone else is in immediate danger.

For urgent medical or mental health support, call NHS 111. Tell the person you speak to about any communication or accessibility support you need.

For non-emergency information and specialist advice, you can visit:
Mencapthe National Autistic Societythe Challenging Behaviour Foundation

These organisations provide information and advice. They are not emergency-response services.

Help if you feel unsafe at home

If you are in immediate danger, call 999 and ask for the police.

If you cannot speak and you are calling 999 from a mobile, listen to the operator’s questions. If prompted, press 55 to be transferred to the police.

The National Domestic Abuse Helpline provides free and confidential support for women experiencing domestic abuse.

It is available 24 hours a day.

Call 0808 2000 247

The Men’s Advice Line provides confidential support for male victims of domestic abuse.

Call 0808 801 0327, Monday to Friday, 10am to 5pm.

Domestic abuse can affect anyone. Further support is available for people of different genders, backgrounds and circumstances.

Find more domestic abuse support

Are you already supported by Southdown?

If you already receive support from a Southdown service, contact your usual team or use the contact information in your support plan.

If someone is in immediate danger, do not wait for Southdown to respond. Call 999.
For general queries, call 01273 405800

Southdown is not an emergency service.

We cannot provide an emergency response through our website, social media accounts or general enquiry channels.

If someone is in immediate danger, call 999.