Domestic abuse support and emergency help

Call 999 if there is immediate danger. When calling from a mobile and unable to speak, listen to the operator and press 55 if prompted. This transfers the call to police; it does not identify your location automatically. Give your location if you can safely do so. ^[1]

Match the help to the immediate need

A domestic abuse helpline can discuss options even when you have not decided whether to leave or report an incident. A solicitor's enquiry form may not be monitored outside working hours. Do not wait for a legal appointment when emergency help is needed.

Tell the responder about injuries, children present, weapons, threats to kill or an order that may have been breached. Describe what is happening now before explaining earlier events. You do not need to decide the correct legal label for the behaviour.

Use support without creating another exposure

If you suspect device monitoring, seek a safer way to contact support. An unfamiliar app, password change or deleted history may be noticed. Ask a specialist support worker to help plan technology changes around your circumstances instead of relying on a private browsing window.

Once the immediate situation is addressed, arrange safe legal contact. Explain whether you need somewhere to stay tonight, help obtaining essentials or advice about children. These needs can involve different organisations; support during proceedings helps distinguish their roles.

Describe what is happening before recounting the history An emergency responder needs a usable account of the present situation. If you can safely speak, say where help is needed, whether the person causing concern is there and whether anyone requires urgent medical attention. Mention immediate threats and children or other people at risk. A long chronology can follow when circumstances permit. Avoid delaying the call while trying to find an old reference number or decide whether the behaviour fits a particular offence.

The silent mobile procedure is a route for getting a call to the police, rather than a substitute for communicating available details. Follow the operator's instructions as far as you safely can. A landline call is handled differently, so instructions about pressing 55 should not be applied to every telephone. The government's help page explains the distinctions and available routes for people who cannot use an ordinary voice call. Accessibility arrangements should be checked in advance where it is safe and practical. ^[1]

Ask for support with the next few hours After immediate danger has been addressed, a person may still need a safe place to sleep, medication, transport, clothing or help caring for children. Explain the urgent practical need to a specialist service rather than assuming that a legal appointment can arrange all of it. Tell the service about accessibility requirements and anyone who must be accommodated with you. Availability and eligibility vary, and an informal suggestion should be checked before travelling to an unfamiliar address.

You do not have to present a fully decided plan for the relationship before asking about options. A support conversation can explore what is possible, what information is needed and which organisation can help with a particular barrier. Say if discussing departure, making a booking or receiving written information could increase risk. Do not return to a dangerous location merely to assemble a bag or recover papers for an appointment. Let the support worker know which essentials are inaccessible.

Find a service that understands the relevant circumstances The official guidance links to services in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, alongside support for particular needs. Choose by location, accessibility and the kind of help required, rather than assuming every national name covers identical services. A domestic abuse helpline, a housing team and a legal adviser perform different functions. Ask whether the service can help directly, provide an appropriate referral or explain how to reach someone during the hours when support is needed.

Where language, disability, immigration concerns, sexuality or financial control affects access to help, describe the barrier without assuming it disqualifies you from every service. Ask what confidentiality means in practice, including any circumstances in which information may need to be shared for safeguarding. If a friend is helping, they can support a safe connection and respect your decisions. They should avoid contacting the suspected abuser or distributing your account to others as an improvised intervention.

Keep the transition to longer-term help manageable Once it is possible to consider legal steps, record the practical outcome of the support contact: where you can safely be reached, any appointment arranged and any reference you have been given. You need not create a comprehensive case file immediately. A short account of current restrictions, urgent dates and remaining needs will help the next professional understand what has already happened. Confirm whether information will be passed on with your agreement or whether you need to make the next contact yourself.

An emergency response does not necessarily resolve housing, protection or arrangements for children. Conversely, having a future court hearing does not remove the need to seek immediate help if the risk changes. Use the relevant service for the present problem and explain any existing orders or conditions accurately. Keep realistic expectations about availability: a website form, a voicemail and a booked consultation have different response arrangements. When danger is immediate, the emergency route remains the relevant point of contact.