020 8770 0172
Our telephone lines are open:Mon 11am - 1.30pm, Tues, Thurs & Fri
10.30am - 2.30pm
Support for Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and displaced communities
Everyone experiences mental health differently, and it can be really helpful to find support that understands your background, world view, and the things that shape your wellbeing.
This page brings together resources for a range of communities, including people who are displaced, newly arrived, or living away from home. Our aim is to help you find support that feels relevant, respectful, and rooted in your lived experience
The Muslim Community Helpline is a confidential, non-judgemental listening and emotional support service.
TELEPHONE US: 020 8904 8193 or 020 8908 6715.
SERVICE HOURS: Monday to Thursday: 10am-1pm. Friday: 10am-4pm.
BY PRIOR APPOINTMENT (email us to arrange): Monday to Friday. Male counsellors: evening service (emotional and psychological support only).
LANGUAGES SPOKEN: English, Arabic, Gujarati, Punjabi, Urdu/Hindi.
CONTACT EMAIL ADDRESS: ess4m@btinternet.com. Please note that any information sent to us by users of our service is seen and then deleted. We do not retain personal information provided.
Free professional and confidential telephone counselling and email inquiry service, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The services of Sikh Helpline are available to any individual regardless of age, gender, race/culture, physical and mental disabilities, religion, sexual orientation, nationality, class or status.
Phone: 03000 3000 63 or 07999 004 363
Weblink: www.sikhhelpline.com
Sikh Your Mind raises awareness of mental health in the Sikh and Punjabi community.
They offer online chat, therapy, and helpful videos and resources.
Telephone helpline Monday - Sunday 7pm - 9 pm
0333 210 1021
Please note this is not a crisis service
Weblink: https://sikhyourmind.com/
A range of mental health support resources for non-English speakers. These documents can be used to find further support along with tips on supporting mental health and wellbeing.
Weblink: Mental health support resources for non-English speakers
Black Communities
The Empowerment Group is a charity that understands the cultural importance of Black therapists supporting their communities. They offer heavily subsidised online one to one counselling sessions for Black individuals in the UK aged 18+.
Online contact form: www.theempowermentgroup.co.uk/contactus
Weblink: www.theempowermentgroup.co.uk
Home of the largest community of Counsellors and Psychotherapists of Black, African, Asian and Caribbean Heritage in the UK.
Email: administrator@baatn.org.uk
Weblink: www.baatn.org.uk
The aim of Black Minds Matter is to ensure that black people in the UK can access mental health support. The organisation does this by helping black people and families across the nation to find professional mental health services.
Online enquiry form: www.blackmindsmatteruk.com/connect
Weblink: www.blackmindsmatteruk.com
This is a programme through which works specifically with young Black men aged between 11 and 30 years old.
Telephone: 0300 123 3393
Email: equality@mind.org.uk
Weblink: www.mind.org.uk/about-us/our-policy-work/equality-and-human-rights/young-black-men
Bayo is a space to find collectives, organisations, and services from across the UK. Bayo is created by and for the Black community to support mental health and wellbeing.
Email: yansie.rolston@ubele.org
Weblink: https://www.bayo.uk/
South Asian Communities
This group, for Tamil survivors on sexual abuse, provides healing and empowerment through holistic support, resources and advocacy.
They offer therapeutic activities, support and signposting, but do not currently have a support line.
supportandwellbeing@anbu.org.uk
Weblink: https://www.anbu.org.uk/
Working in the Sikh and South Asian communities, their aim is to improve their health and wellbeing, through support and awareness raising. They offer tailored resources and initiatives which understand that these communities have different needs and understanding compared to the Western approach.
Weblink: https://rooh.org.uk/
South Asian Therapist | Mental Health Therapist and Counselling online directory to find South Asian Therapist near you
Weblink: https://southasiantherapists.org/
Southeast and East Asian Centre (SEEAC) is a community organisation run by and for migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers from Southeast and East Asia, as well as people of these heritages living in the UK. We are here to support you through challenges related to welfare, immigration, employment, healthcare, racism, mental health, and gender-based violence.
Also has a directory of South West Asian Therapists
Home of the largest community of Counsellors and Psychotherapists of Black, African, Asian and Caribbean Heritage in the UK.
Email: administrator@baatn.org.uk
Weblink: www.baatn.org.uk
Portuguese/Spanish speaking
Respeito is the only organisation in the UK dedicated to preventing and reducing domestic abuse in the Portuguese-speaking community.
They offer confidential one to one support for abuse survivors and vulnerable individuals from Portugal (and the Islands of Madeira and Azores), Brazil, Latin America, and African countries with Portuguese as the official language i.e. Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, Sao Tome and Principe, Guinea- Bissau and Equatorial Guinea.
Services are free of charge and offered in the mother language for any Portuguese-speaking individual (+18) regardless of their nationality, age, gender or gender identity, disability, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or faith within our cultural diversity.
Weblink: https://www.respeito.org.uk/
We aim to assist the Spanish and Portuguese speaking immigrants here in the UK by creating a welcoming environment to meet others and talk.
Our trained volunteers offer specialist help and support by organising events, workshops, and activities for increased community interaction. Crisis intervention helplines work around the clock for when immediate help is needed. Our platform will benefit anyone who’s recently moved to the UK and is overwhelmed or isolated, and wants to build a network of like-minded people.
Portugese speaking helpline: 020 7078 7676 (4pm - 10pm)
Spanish speaking helpline: 020 7733 0471 (8am - 8pm)
Whatsapp 079 3222 5355
Weblink: https://www.voades.org.uk/
Displaced Communities
The British Red Cross provides a free and confidential helpline for people facing crisis situations. You can talk to trained advisors who can connect you to psychological support, medical assistance, legal advice, housing guidance, and more.
Phone: 0808 196 3651
Hours: 10:00 – 18:00 daily (UK time)
If you need a support line interpreter, call and say: ‘can I speak to an interpreter?’ supports people in 200 languages
King’s College London’s Centre for Society and Mental Health has compiled a detailed Directory for Refugees and Migrants in London (2025), listing free and low-cost mental health services.
Download pdf : http://Refugee & Migrant Mental Health Directory (London, 2025)
Afghan
It takes great courage to rebuild life in a new country. Seeking support is a sign of strength.
If you need help finding the right service or language-specific support, USPUK can guide you — contact the our contact form or email help@uspuk.org.
Practical information in Pashto and Dari, as well as English, mental health links and general support for Afghans.
Weblink: https://www.uspuk.org/
The Afghan Academy International runs a helpline to support the Afghan community and partner agencies — especially helpful for emotional support, translation, referrals, and out-of-hours help.
The helpline provides:
- Emotional support and advice
- Translation and interpreting over the phone
- Referrals to networked support services
Helpline: +44 (0) 7950 243992
Thrive LDN has published a Toolkit for supporting mental health and wellbeing of refugees, focused on the Afghan community.
What it includes:
- A “Help with your concerns or worries” guide (available in English, Dari, Pashto)
- Techniques and a trauma workbook from Good Thinking for those who are out of danger but still managing distress
- Guidance for professionals and volunteers who support displaced communities
Hong Kong
Useful advice and Mental Health Support (counselling waiting list currently closed)
Weblink: https://hongkongers.org.uk/
Ukranian
It takes great courage to rebuild life in a new country. Seeking support is a sign of strength.
If you need help finding the right service or language-specific support, USPUK can guide you — contact the our contact form or email help@uspuk.org.
Practical information in Ukranian as well as English, mental health links and general support for Ukranians
Weblink: https://www.uspuk.org/
Barnardo’s is a UK charity that supports and protects children and families.
They have opened a helpline for Ukrainian speakers, with interpreters available, offering practical and emotional support for parents, children, and anyone affected by displacement.
Helpline: 0800 148 8586
Monday–Friday: 10:00 – 20:00 Saturday: 10:00 – 15:00
Email: ukrainiansupport@barnardos.org.uk
Part of the All-Ukrainian Mental Health Program initiated by Olena Zelenska, this service provides emotional support for Ukrainians living abroad, including those in the UK. Available in Ukrainian
- 📞 Free phone:
- 💬
- 🕐 Calls from UK local numbers are free of charge.
Call 0808 164 2432 or from outside the UK +44 808 164 2432
Opora is a UK-based support hub that provides trusted information and signposts to free mental health services specifically for Ukrainian refugees.
Their mental health page includes:
- Practical guidance on accessing NHS mental health services
- Contacts for trauma and PTSD support
- Information about online counselling and self-help tools
- Articles written by psychologists and experts working with displaced communities
Weblink: opora.uk/mental-health
We offer a freshly cooked meal (which varies daily), at a very reasonable cost. A vegetarian option is always available. We also offer tea, coffee, squash and snacks.
On fridays we serve fish or sausages with chips. Lunches need to be ordered before 11:30am and can be placed over the telephone as well as in person.
Sunday's member-led session offers a set cooked breakfast which must be ordered before 1:00pm.
Activities
We offer a selection of free weekly activities, which are currently taking place online, including:
- Coffee Mornings;
- Art 4 Wellbeing;
- Drama Group;
- Mindfulness; and
- Yoga.
Further information and booking details can be found on our Events page.
We provide a selection of board games such as bingo, scrabble, chess and draughts. For the more sporty we also have a snooker table and a table tennis table.
There is no obligation to participate in any activities, if you prefer to just sit quietly and take a moment for yourself, a variety of newspapers are available on a daily basis.
Activities
While we are called a Crisis Café, we don't really offer food - although a cup of tea can be very helpful. And don't expect lots of activities - if you want yoga, art or mindfulness, we offer those in our daytime service at the Belmont Connect.We are aware some people are having issues with the referral forms, if you are having problems, please email us at admin@smhf.org.uk or give us a call on 020 8770 0172.