🧠 Mental Health Resources for Ukrainians and Afghan Refugees in the UK
At USPUK, we recognise that mental health is a vital part of rebuilding life in safety. Many displaced people experience stress, trauma, anxiety, or loneliness — and you do not have to face these challenges alone.
☎️ Emergency Support
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 999. If you need urgent but non-emergency medical or mental health help, call 111 or visit NHS Online.
You can also find 24-hour regional mental health helplines here:
England: Mental Health Helplines Directory
Scotland: NHS Inform Helplines
Wales: Mental Health Helpline for Wales
Northern Ireland: NI Direct Helplines
❤️ British Red Cross Support Line
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.
📞 Free phone: 0808 196 3651
🕐 Hours: 10:00 – 18:00 daily (UK time)
💬 Barnardo’s Ukrainian Support Helpline
Barnardo’s is a UK charity that supports and protects children and families.
They have opened a helpline for Ukrainian speakers, with interpreters available
📞 Free phone: 0800 148 8586
📧 Email: ukrainiansupport@barnardos.org.uk
🕐 Opening hours:
Monday–Friday: 10:00 – 20:00
Saturday: 10:00 – 15:00
The helpline offers practical and emotional support for parents, children, and anyone affected by displacement.
🌍 Opora — Mental Health Support for Ukrainians
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
🌐 Visit: opora.uk/mental-health
“How Are You?” — Ukrainian Crisis Helpline
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.
📞 Free phone: +44 808 164 2432
💬 Available in Ukrainian
🕐 Calls from UK local numbers are free of charge.
🌻 Mind – Mental Health Charity
Mind is one of the UK’s leading mental health organisations. It offers information, peer support, and local mental health services across the country.
📧 Email: info@mind.org.uk
🌐 Website: mind.org.uk
🤝 Afghan Academy Helpline
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. https://afghanacademy.org.uk/afghan-helpline/
📞 +44 (0) 7950 243992
The helpline provides:
Emotional support and advice
Translation and interpreting over the phone
Referrals to networked support services
🤝 Refugee & Migrant Mental Health Directory (London, 2025)
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 — including those that support Ukrainian and Afghan communities.
🛠 Thrive LDN Toolkit — Supporting Refugees (Especially Afghan Community)
Thrive LDN has published a Toolkit for supporting mental health and wellbeing of refugees, originally focused on the Afghan community but with many transferable resources. Thrive LDN - https://thriveldn.co.uk/communications/toolkits-and-resources/toolkit/supporting-the-mental-health-and-wellbeing-of-afghan-refugees/
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
🌼 You Are Not Alone
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 us via our contact form or email help@uspuk.org.
Together, we can make the journey to safety and well-being a little easier. 💛💙