Safe places to talk - Crisis Cafes in your area
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, distressed, or struggling with your mental health, you’re not alone - and support might be closer than you think.
Crisis Cafés offer a safe, welcoming alternative to A&E for adults and young people experiencing mental health distress. They provide immediate, confidential support from trained staff in a calm, non-clinical setting. Crisis cafes are open during evenings and weekends when other services may be closed.
You don’t need an appointment to visit most Crisis Cafés, and many are open late at night.
What support can Crisis Cafés offer?
Crisis Cafés provide a listening ear and practical help at difficult times. Support may include:
- Crisis and emotional support in a safe environment
- Help to create a personal safety plan
- Referrals to ongoing mental health services
- Access to peer support workers for follow ‑ up support.
Crisis Cafes help you connect to support with:
- Debt, benefits and welfare advice
- Domestic abuse support
- Housing advice and homelessness prevention
- Substance misuse and addiction support
- Health, wellbeing and counselling services.
Where is my nearest Crisis Cafe?
We've pulled together the local Crisis Cafes in each of our regions:
Crisis Cafes in Merseyside (this link will open in a new tab.)
Crisis Cafes in Greater Manchester (this link will open in a new tab.)
Crisis Cafes in Lancashire (this link will open in a new tab.)
Crisis Cafes in Cheshire (this link will open in a new tab.)
If you need immediate help
If something that makes you feel immediately unsafe, distressed, or worried about your mental health, you can now contact your local crisis service calling NHS 111 and selecting the mental health option.
For instant support you can also contact:
Samaritans: Call 116 123 anytime, any day.
Shout Crisis Text Line: Text "SHOUT" to 85258 for 24/7 text message support.
HOPELINE247 (for young people): Call 0800 068 4141 if you're under 35 and struggling with suicidal feelings or concerned about a young person.
In emergency situations where there is an immediate risk to life where you feel unable to keep yourself safe you should continue to contact 999 or go to A&E.