Money & benefits

Struggling right now? Emergency and crisis help

Last reviewed: June 2026

If things feel overwhelming at the moment, please take a breath. Whatever you are facing, there is help, it is free, and you do not have to sort it out on your own. This page sets out who to contact straight away for the most urgent situations. There is no shame in reaching out. These services help people in exactly your position every single day.

If it is an emergency

If you, or someone you are with, is in danger or needs urgent medical help, call 999 now.

For urgent help that is not life-threatening, call NHS 111, which is free and available 24 hours a day.

If you are struggling to cope, or having dark thoughts

Please reach out. You deserve support, and there are people who want to help you through this.

To reach Derbyshire's mental health crisis team, call NHS 111 and choose the mental health option, option 2. It is free, day or night, for people of all ages across Derbyshire, and an experienced mental health worker will talk things through with you. If it would help, they can arrange for you to visit a local safe haven for some face-to-face support.

If you simply need someone to talk to, the Samaritans are there at any hour of the day or night on 116 123. The call is free, and you do not have to be in crisis to ring them. Sometimes just talking to someone helps.

Your GP can also help you get the right support, so do make an appointment if you can.

If you cannot afford food

No one should go without food, and asking for help is nothing to feel ashamed about. Local food banks provide emergency food parcels along with a warm, non-judgemental welcome.

Food banks work through a referral, so the quickest way is to contact Citizens Advice on 0808 250 5702, your GP, or another support worker, who can arrange a food bank voucher for you. In the Chesterfield area, Chesterfield Foodbank can help, and across North East Derbyshire there are food banks such as the one at Clay Cross. There is also a county-wide network called Feeding Derbyshire that brings together food banks and affordable food projects.

If you are in a financial crisis

If a sudden change has left you unable to pay for food, heating or other essentials, the Derbyshire Discretionary Fund may be able to give you an emergency payment, usually in the form of a voucher you can take to a post office. Call them on 01629 533399. This is exactly the kind of emergency the fund is there for.

If you cannot afford to heat your home

Please do not sit in the cold. If you are on a prepayment meter and cannot top it up, contact your energy supplier straight away. They must offer emergency credit and help, and there are rules to protect older and vulnerable customers from being cut off, particularly over the winter. It is also worth asking to be added to their Priority Services Register. The Derbyshire Discretionary Fund above can help in an energy emergency too, and we have a fuller guide on help with heating and energy bills.

If you are at risk of losing your home

If you are homeless, or worried that you might become homeless, contact your local council's housing team as soon as you can, as they have a legal duty to help you. Depending on where you live, that is Chesterfield Borough Council, Bolsover District Council or North East Derbyshire District Council. You can also get free, urgent advice from Shelter on 0808 800 4444, or from Citizens Advice. The sooner you ask, the more they are able to do.

If debt is piling up

If you have fallen behind on bills, or you are being chased by people you owe money to, free and confidential debt advice can lift an enormous weight, and the advisers will never judge you. They can deal with the people you owe on your behalf and help stop things escalating.

You can contact National Debtline on 0808 808 4000, StepChange on 0800 138 1111, MoneyHelper on 0800 138 7777, or Citizens Advice on 0808 250 5702. And if you ever need to borrow, the Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire Credit Union (01246 278833) offers fair, low-cost loans, which is a far safer option than doorstep or payday lenders.

If you are worried about an older person

If you are concerned that an older person is at risk, or is being neglected or harmed, you can contact Derbyshire's adult social care team on Call Derbyshire, 01629 533190. Outside office hours, there is an emergency duty team on 01629 532600.

You do not have to face this alone

Whatever you are going through, please do reach out to one of the services above. There is real, practical help out there, and no one will think any less of you for asking. And if loneliness or isolation is part of what is weighing on you, that is something we at BrightLife are here for too, through our befriending service, so please do get in touch with us.

Useful numbers at a glance

  • Emergency: 999
  • Urgent NHS help, 24 hours: NHS 111 (for a mental health crisis, choose option 2)
  • Samaritans, any time: 116 123
  • Derbyshire Discretionary Fund (emergency payments): 01629 533399
  • Citizens Advice (Bolsover and North East Derbyshire): 0808 250 5702
  • Shelter (housing emergencies): 0808 800 4444
  • National Debtline: 0808 808 4000
  • Call Derbyshire (adult social care): 01629 533190