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Find Local Support

Find your council, NHS services, local SEND support, housing and homelessness help, social care, police, community resources and other practical support in your area.

LOCAL SUPPORT

Start With the Service That Can Actually Help

Local support can come from councils, NHS services, police, SEND services, social care, housing teams, charities and community organisations. This page helps you reach the right route more quickly.

Council NHS & health Housing SEND Social care Police Community support Official sources
ONE UK LOCAL SUPPORT DIRECTORY

Choose Your Nation or English Region

Each area gives you three connected routes: practical local support, the councils and public-information pages for that area, and the latest verified or source-led local updates.

Everything local — connected

You do not need to know which RFTUK section to use first. Start here, choose your area, then move between support services, councils, current notices, local businesses and official sources.

Browse all regional support hubs Find councils & public records Latest local updates Support local businesses
FIND THE RIGHT LOCAL SERVICE

Common Routes for Local Help

Choose the area that best matches the problem. Where possible, use the official service first so you know which organisation is responsible.

Find Your Local Council

Use GOV.UK to identify the local authority responsible for services in your area, including housing, social care, Council Tax, planning, waste and many local support services.

Find your council

NHS Services Near You

Find GPs, dentists, pharmacies, urgent treatment centres, hospitals and other NHS services using the NHS service finder.

Find NHS services

Housing & Homelessness

If you are homeless or at risk of homelessness, your local council may have duties to assess your situation and provide help depending on the circumstances.

Homelessness help

SEND & Additional Needs

For children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities, check the local authority's SEND Local Offer and official SEND guidance.

Open SEND guidance

Adult Social Care

If disability, illness or age is making everyday life difficult, contact your local council's adult social care team to ask about a care and support needs assessment.

Ask for an assessment

Police & Crime

Use Police.uk to find your local police force and neighbourhood information. Call 999 where there is an immediate danger or emergency.

Find your police force

Mental Health Support

Use NHS guidance to find mental health services and urgent help. If there is an immediate risk to life, call 999 or go to A&E.

NHS mental health

Domestic Abuse Support

GOV.UK provides national helpline and support information for people experiencing domestic abuse. In an emergency call 999.

Get domestic abuse help

Community & Voluntary Support

Local charities, community groups, food support, disability organisations, advice centres and voluntary services can provide practical help alongside statutory services.

Open community resources
URGENT HELP

Know Which Route to Use in an Emergency

Some situations should not wait for a normal appointment, email or complaint process.

Urgent and emergency routes

  • 999 — immediate danger, serious crime, fire or life-threatening medical emergency.
  • NHS 111 — urgent medical help when it is not a 999 emergency.
  • Police 101 — non-emergency police matters.
  • Local council emergency/out-of-hours service — some councils provide emergency routes for housing, social care or other urgent local problems.
GETTING THE RIGHT RESPONSE

When You Contact a Local Service

A clear first contact can make it easier for the service to understand what you need and route you correctly.

1

Explain the problem clearly

Say what has happened, who is affected, whether there is any immediate risk and what help you are asking for.

2

Ask which team is responsible

If you have reached the wrong department, ask for the correct team or direct contact route rather than starting again without guidance.

3

Ask for reasonable adjustments if needed

Tell the organisation if disability or communication needs affect how you can use the service, attend appointments or understand information.

4

Keep a record

Keep dates, names, reference numbers, emails, letters and copies of evidence where the issue may need to be followed up or complained about later.

RFTUK LOCAL SUPPORT

Community Pages, Resources and Local Notices

Right First Time UK can also organise local information and community resources alongside the official routes above.

External & Community Resources

Browse independent tools, support organisations and community resources listed by Right First Time UK.

Open external resources

Local Noticeboard

Use the RFTUK local noticeboard for community notices, local advertisements and area-based information where available.

Open local noticeboard
Important: a community listing does not replace an official council, NHS, police, safeguarding or emergency route where one is required.
LATEST LOCAL CHANGES

Support Schemes, Service Changes and Community Opportunities

The Local Noticeboard keeps changing information separate from the permanent directory. Official sources are prioritised and wider sources are clearly distinguished.

UK · OFFICIAL

Mental Health Support Teams - NHFT

Mental Health Support Teams NHFT

Open source
Wales · OFFICIAL

Veterans’ NHS Wales – Mental Health Support for Veterans - NHS Wales

Veterans’ NHS Wales – Mental Health Support for Veterans NHS Wales

Open source
Northern Ireland · OFFICIAL

Ballynahinch Jobs & Benefits office presents Universal Credit & Job Support Sessions - 23 October 2026 - Department for Communities

Ballynahinch Jobs & Benefits office presents Universal Credit & Job Support Sessions - 23 October 2026 Department for Communities

Open source
Wales · OFFICIAL

Employability Coach,Welsh Essential (Closing Date 18/10/2026 ) - gov.wales

Employability Coach,Welsh Essential (Closing Date 18/10/2026 ) gov.wales

Open source
West Midlands · OFFICIAL

Coventry Couple Reunited with Ambulance Crew After Life-Saving CPR Helps Beat the Odds - West Midlands Ambulance Service University NHS Foundation Trust

Coventry Couple Reunited with Ambulance Crew After Life-Saving CPR Helps Beat the Odds West Midlands Ambulance Service University NHS Foundation Trust

Open source
UK · OFFICIAL

Information for patients - carers support service - University Hospital Southampton

Information for patients - carers support service University Hospital Southampton

Open source
View all latest local updates
INDEPENDENT ADVICE & ADVOCACY

Help to Understand Your Rights, Speak Up and Challenge Problems

Alongside official services, independent advice and advocacy organisations can help people understand options, communicate with services, deal with housing or money problems, and in some cases support complaints or meetings.

Reasonable adjustments

If disability or communication needs make a service difficult to use, ask the organisation what reasonable adjustments or accessible communication it can provide.

Disability supportGet Help
Check coverage first: independent organisations do not all provide every service in every area. Use their own eligibility and location finder before relying on a service.
OFFICIAL SOURCES

Direct Official Routes

These links are provided so you can go straight to the relevant public service.

Find your local council

Official GOV.UK service for identifying the council responsible for your area.

Open GOV.UK

NHS service finder

Find local NHS services including GPs, pharmacies, dentists and urgent care.

Find NHS services

Homelessness help

Official GOV.UK information about asking a council for help if you are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

Open housing help

Adult social care assessment

Official GOV.UK route for asking a local authority for a care and support needs assessment.

Open assessment route

SEND support

Official information about special educational needs and disabilities in England.

Open SEND guidance

Find your police force

Police.uk information for finding local forces and neighbourhood policing information.

Open Police.uk
Use the linked official service finder for the current contact route, eligibility, opening hours and local arrangements. Local services can change quickly.
RFTUK EXPLANATION

Official Services and Community Support Are Kept Separate

Official service links above go directly to councils, NHS, police and GOV.UK routes. RFTUK community listings and practical guidance are presented separately so users can see which information comes from an official public service.

Find the Right Service, Then Keep a Clear Record

The quickest route is often identifying who is actually responsible for the problem, contacting that service directly and keeping the information you may need if the issue has to be followed up.