Emergency support

• If you want to talk to someone but it’s not urgent, please check out the support organisations for trans people in Northern Ireland listed elsewhere on this site.

 Getting emergency support

It’s important to get emergency support as soon as possible.

• If you or someone you know is in immediate danger for any reason, or you suspect you/they are likely to be, phone 999 immediately and explain the situation.
• If you are phoning from Ireland, or somewhere else in the European Union, phone 112 immediately.
• Textphone users in the UK should dial 18000 in an emergency.

Mental Health Emergencies

If your mental or emotional wellbeing quickly gets worse, or you’re in crisis or despair – or you’re worried someone you know is – help is available. Please seek help, including support from the emergency services, if you think you need it.

If you need someone to talk to, there are several organisations on hand 24 hours a day throughout the year to offer their help:

If you need mental health support on an ongoing basis, you can get help from your GP or from your local general mental health care team.

• For more information on mental health services in Northern Ireland, see the nidirect.gov.uk website 

If you need urgent help, please contact the emergency services immediately. 

Hate Crime, Domestic & Sexual Violence

If you are subject to domestic or sexual violence, or otherwise suffer abuse, you can get help from the LGBT Community Advocacy Service, the Police and other organisations. If you feel confident enough, you can report any crimes against you directly to the Police, using the emergency services if necessary.

• Information on reporting a crime 

The Police Service of Northern Ireland specifically record and can support you if you have been the victim of a hate crime or incident.

• Information on transphobic hate crime from the PSNI 

If, for whatever reason, you don’t feel comfortable reporting an incident directly to the police, you can access support from the LGBT Community Advocacy Service. This service can report incidents directly to the police on your behalf, or can advocate for you if you have experienced police misconduct or violence, in collaboration with TransgenderNI.

• Information on the Rainbow Project’s LGBT Advocacy Service

You can also contact the 24 hour domestic and sexual violence helpline on:

• freephone: 0808 802 1414
• email: 24hrsupport@dvhelpline.org
• text: ‘support’ to 07797805839

Galop National LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Helpline also provide support to LGBT people, their friends & families across the UK. They operate a freephone telephone helpline service as well as online chat and email support.

• Get in touch with the helpline

• More information on domestic violence from nidirect.gov.uk 

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 Homelessness & Housing

The Rainbow Project have a specially-designed housing advocacy service for LGBT people who are experiencing discrimination or other issues with housing.

• Contact the Rainbow Project’s Housing Advocacy Service

If you are homeless, or are at risk of being made homeless, you can get help from local charities and from the Northern Ireland government.

The Simon Community NI provide homelessness support throughout Northern Ireland.

• 24 hour freephone: 0800 171 2222

If you are in Belfast, the Welcome Organisation provide unconditional support for vulnerable people on the streets, and can advise and counsel those at risk of or experiencing homelessness.

• Phone 028 90 240424
• Unit 36, 28 Townsend Street
• Belfast
• BT13 2ES
  Map 

You can also get help and support from your local social security office in the form of social housing and Housing Benefit to help you get access to safe housing. Read the links below for official advice on getting access to social housing and benefits:

• Information from the Northern Ireland Housing Executive on homelessness 
• More information on homelessness from nidirect.gov.uk 
• More information on property and housing from nidirect.gov.uk 

If you are renting your property, you have certain rights as a tenant which can help you stay in your accommodation:

• Information on housing and tenancy rights from Housing Advice NI  

 Benefits & Financial Support

If you are made homeless, are cut off from your financial resources or are otherwise experiencing hardship, you can apply for financial support in the form of benefits and grants. These vary widely from area to area and from person to person.

• Information on benefits & financial support from nidirect.gov.uk 
• Get free impartial benefits advice from East Belfast Independent Advice Centre 

 Contacting the Emergency Services

999 is the number for the emergency services in the UK, including Northern Ireland. If you are in the European Union, phone 112 for emergency services.

Textphone users in the UK should dial 18000 in an emergency.