Shout is a free, confidential and 24/7 text messaging service for anyone in the UK who needs support.
If you are struggling to cope and need to talk, our trained Shout Volunteers are here for you. To start a conversation, text the word ‘Shout’ to 85258, or click 'Text us' below.
If your life is at imminent risk, please call 999 for immediate help.
Shout is the UK's first and only free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging service for anyone who is struggling to cope.
We have taken more than two million conversations with people who are sad, worried, lonely or suicidal and who need urgent, in-the-moment support.
As a digital service, Shout became vital during Covid-19, as one of the few mental health services able to operate as normal at this time. We have seen the need for our support remain high through the UK's cost of living crisis.
Every conversation is overseen by a Clinical Supervisor and assessed for risk; our volunteers will never close a conversation where there is an imminent risk to someone’s life. If we have been texting for a while and a texter is not deemed to be at imminent risk, the volunteer will look to recap on the next steps with the texter and warmly close the conversation. This is so that we are able to help provide our service to other people who are also in distress and need in the moment support.
Shout is not a service that can provide regular, ongoing support and so if you have had 20 engaged conversations within 60 days, or five engaged conversations within 48 hours, we will let you know that we will need to limit your conversations to one conversation every 48 hours.