Abuse in a relationship that began online can be hard to name, and hard to get advice about, because the person may be a partner of only a few months who lives elsewhere. The Home Office’s GOV.UK guidance on getting help lists a helpline for each part of the United Kingdom, a helpline for male victims, specialist services and a way to reach the police without speaking. This guide summarises the two GOV.UK pages named in the sources. The main page was last updated on 29 April 2025, and helplines can change, so GOV.UK is the place to confirm a number before relying on it. It is general information, not advice. Anyone in immediate danger should call 999.
Recognising abuse: what GOV.UK says
GOV.UK asks readers whether a partner, ex-partner or someone they live with cuts them off from family and friends, bullies, threatens or controls them, takes control of their finances, monitors or limits their use of technology, or physically or sexually abuses them. It says domestic abuse is not always physical violence and can include coercive control and “gaslighting”, economic abuse, online abuse, threats, emotional abuse and sexual abuse. It also states that anyone can be a victim regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, religion, socio-economic status, sexuality or background. Related guides on this site cover coercive control in early dating and economic abuse.
Helplines listed for each nation
GOV.UK lists free, confidential support and advice 24 hours a day, with a separate service for each nation:
- England: Refuge’s National Domestic Abuse Helpline, 0808 2000 247, with online live chat and a web form.
- Northern Ireland: the Domestic and Sexual Abuse Helpline, 0808 802 1414, with online live chat.
- Scotland: the Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline, 0800 027 1234, with online live chat.
- Wales: Live Fear Free, a Welsh Government funded, 24 hour, 365 day service, 0808 80 10 100, with online live chat and text.
GOV.UK also says the National Domestic Abuse Helpline can be called for advice by a friend, neighbour or relative who is worried about someone else.
Support for men, and other specialist services
For the whole UK, GOV.UK lists the Men’s Advice Line, run by Respect, as a confidential helpline specifically for male victims, on 0808 801 0327. The page also describes Bright Sky, a free mobile app and website for anyone experiencing domestic abuse or worried about someone, and warns that it should only be downloaded if it is safe to do so and if the phone is not being monitored. The guide to tech abuse from a match explains why phone monitoring matters here.
The Home Office’s specialist sources page lists services for particular situations, including:
- Galop’s National LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Helpline, 0800 999 5428.
- Hourglass, for older people and those concerned about an older person, 0808 808 8141.
- SignHealth, for deaf people and those with hearing loss, in British Sign Language, 020 3947 2601, with a text number.
- Stay Safe East, for disabled survivors, 020 8519 7241.
- Surviving Economic Abuse’s Financial Support Line, 01323 635 987.
- The National Stalking Helpline, run by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, 0808 802 0300.
For forced marriage, it lists the Forced Marriage Unit and Karma Nirvana, which also covers “honour”-based abuse. For sexual assault, it says to call the nearest sexual assault referral centre; the guide to help after rape or sexual assault covers the NHS route.
Victim Support and Safe Spaces
GOV.UK says Victim Support runs services for victims and survivors of any abuse or crime, whenever it occurred and whether or not it was reported to the police: a 24/7 Supportline on 08 08 16 89 111, a live chat service and the My Support Space online resource. It also describes Safe Spaces, safe and confidential rooms where a person can reflect, get information on specialist support or call friends or family, available in Boots, Morrisons, Superdrug and Well pharmacies, TSB banks and independent pharmacies across the UK. The same page notes that the Ask for ANI scheme stopped being available in pharmacies from 4 November 2024, so it should not be relied on there. For the wider venue-based idea, see the guide to Ask for Angela.
Calling the police when speaking is unsafe
GOV.UK says that someone who is in danger and unable to talk should call 999, listen to the operator’s questions and, if possible, respond by coughing or tapping on the handset. From a mobile, if prompted, pressing 55 “to Make Yourself Heard” transfers the call to the police. GOV.UK states that pressing 55 works only on mobiles and does not allow police to track the caller’s location. From a landline, if the operator hears only background noise, the caller is connected to a police call handler, and location information should be available automatically. Deaf people or those who cannot use a phone can register with emergencySMS by texting REGISTER to 999 when it is safe, so they can text later in an emergency.
Help for someone worried about their own behaviour
GOV.UK also lists the Respect Phoneline, an anonymous and confidential helpline for men and women who are abusing their partners and families, open Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm, on 0808 802 4040.
Frequently asked questions
Can a court order be considered as well?
GOV.UK says victims can apply for a non-molestation or occupation order, and, only in the listed areas, a domestic abuse protection order. The guide to non-molestation orders explains the application steps.
The bottom line
GOV.UK lists a 24-hour helpline for each UK nation, a helpline for male victims, specialist services for LGBT+, older, deaf, disabled and other survivors, and a way to reach the police from a mobile by pressing 55 when speaking is unsafe. The main GOV.UK page was last updated on 29 April 2025, so numbers should be checked there. Anyone in immediate danger should call 999.