Helplines in New Zealand

Not sure who to call? New Zealand helplines can help with emotional distress, family violence, sexual harm and addiction. Start with what is happening to you, rather than trying to put a name to it. Most services offer a phone number; some also have text or webchat.

In immediate danger, call 111 and ask for Police, Fire or Ambulance. If someone needs urgent mental health assessment, contact your local mental health crisis team or go to the nearest hospital emergency department. For emotional support that is not an immediate physical emergency, call or text 1737 free, any time.

Which helpline should you contact?

What you need	Where to start	Contact
Immediate danger or serious injury	Emergency services	111
Feeling overwhelmed, distressed or unable to cope	1737 Need to Talk?	Call or text 1737 (24/7)
Medical advice when it is not an emergency	Healthline	0800 611 116 (24/7)
Support for a young person	Youthline	0800 376 633; text 234
Family violence or unsafe relationships	Women's Refuge / Are You OK?	0800 733 843 / 0800 456 450
Sexual assault or sexual harm	Safe to Talk	0800 044 334; text 4334
Alcohol, other drugs or gambling	Alcohol Drug Helpline / Gambling Helpline	0800 787 797 / 0800 654 655
Bullying, image abuse or other online harm	Netsafe	0508 638 723; text NETSAFE to 4282

Check the hours for the contact method you plan to use: phone and webchat times may differ. If a line is closed, 1737 is available day and night. Call 111 if anyone is in immediate danger.

Mental health, anxiety, depression and suicide support

1737 Need to Talk? is free to call or text at any hour. Counsellors and peer support workers can listen and help you decide whether to contact your GP, a counsellor or a community mental health team. For emergencies, call 111.

Samaritans (0800 726 666) offers confidential listening for loneliness and emotional distress, 24/7. The Depression Helpline (0800 111 757; free text 4202) supports people experiencing depression or worried about how they feel. Anxiety NZ (0800 269 4389) is a specialist option for anxiety, panic and related concerns.

Lifeline Aotearoa (0800 543 354; text 4357) provides listening support. The Suicide Crisis Helpline (0508 828 865, also known as 0508 TAUTOKO) supports people concerned about suicide. The Mental Health Foundation lists these services as operating from 7am to midnight; confirm current hours directly before relying on them overnight. If there is a risk of immediate harm, use 111 instead.

If you are thinking about suicide, tell the person answering: “I'm thinking about suicide and I need help staying safe.” Ask someone you trust to stay with you while you get help. Your GP can arrange ongoing care; a crisis team or emergency department can assess urgent needs.

Helplines for children, teenagers and young adults

Youthline supports young people as well as parents, caregivers, whānau and friends. Call 0800 376 633 or free text 234. The helpline is available 24/7; webchat has different hours. If talking feels difficult, start with a text.

What's Up (0800 942 8787) offers counselling by phone and online chat for tamariki and rangatahi aged 5–19. It is not a 24-hour service. The Lowdown provides youth-centred mental wellbeing information and support options. Kidsline, Common Ground and Skylight also offer resources for children, parents and people dealing with grief.

For parents and carers of young children, PlunketLine (0800 933 922) gives free 24/7 parenting and child-health advice. Parent Help (0800 568 856) offers practical parenting support. If a child is in immediate danger, call 111. Otherwise, ask Oranga Tamariki or a local child protection service for advice.

Family violence, sexual harm and safety at home

Threats, controlling behaviour, financial abuse and physical violence are all reasons to seek help. You do not have to decide whether to leave or report to Police before calling. If your phone is monitored, use a safe device when possible.

• Women's Refuge: 0800 733 843 (0800 REFUGE), a 24/7 crisis line for women experiencing violence or fear at home, including help exploring safety options.
• Shine: 0508 744 633, confidential family violence support and advice.
• Are You OK?: 0800 456 450, information about family violence and help for yourself or someone else.
• Shakti: 0800 742 584, multilingual crisis support particularly for migrant and refugee women.

Change Is Possible and In Your Hands offer routes for people who want to stop using harmful behaviour in a relationship. Pet Refuge may help if you are worried about pets when leaving an unsafe home. Older people experiencing abuse can seek help through the Elder Abuse Response Service (0800 32 668 65) or Age Concern.

For sexual assault, harassment or other sexual harm, Safe to Talk – Kōrero mai ka ora is free, confidential and available 24/7. Call 0800 044 334, text 4334 or use its online chat. Ask about medical care, counselling and reporting choices; you do not have to agree to a Police report. Staff can explain support through ACC Sensitive Claims. Other support networks include Rape Crisis, TOAH-NNEST and local specialist sexual harm services.

Alcohol, drugs, gambling and eating disorders

The Alcohol Drug Helpline (0800 787 797) supports people concerned about alcohol or drugs, including methamphetamine, and whānau trying to help. Ask about Māori, Pasifika or youth support. The Gambling Helpline (0800 654 655) helps with gambling and its effects on money and relationships.

You do not need a diagnosis to ask for help. A worker can discuss local treatment or how to support a family member without trying to manage their choices. For eating disorder information and support for loved ones, contact EDANZ (0800 233 269). Where physical health is deteriorating, seek clinical care rather than relying on a listening service alone.

Rainbow, culturally specific and community support

OutLine Aotearoa (0800 688 5463) offers confidential support for LGBTQIA+, Takatāpui and other rainbow communities, their whānau and people questioning their gender or sexuality. The Mental Health Foundation lists phone and chat availability in the evenings; check OutLine's website before contacting. RainbowYOUTH, InsideOUT and the Rainbow Support Collective offer additional information, advocacy and community connections.

If language or cultural understanding matters to you, ask for a service that can work with your whānau or speak your language. Le Va focuses on Pasifika wellbeing, addiction and suicide prevention. Asian Family Services (0800 862 342) offers multilingual support. Māori and kaupapa Māori health providers, including services listed through Healthpoint, can support whānau-centred pathways. Rural Support Trust (0800 787 254) is an option for people facing pressures in farming and rural life.

Ask for an interpreter, text or webchat if calling is difficult. NZ Relay can support Deaf and hard-of-hearing people to make telephone contact; eligible users with hearing or speech difficulties can register in advance for the Police 111 TXT service. Ordinary text messages to 111 are not a substitute for that registration.

Online harm, bullying and scams

Netsafe can assist with cyberbullying, online harassment, intimate image abuse, sextortion and other harmful digital communications. Call 0508 638 723, text NETSAFE to 4282 or submit an online report. Its current contact page lists helpline hours as Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm. If someone is in immediate danger or being threatened now, call 111.

Save messages, usernames and links if it is safe and lawful. Do not share intimate images or keep illegal material. Take It Down offers additional tools concerning certain intimate images of minors, while IDCare and the National Cyber Security Centre provide different forms of identity or cyber-security support. Police can receive non-emergency reports through 105 or 105 online reporting.

Health, legal, financial and local support

For non-emergency medical advice, call Healthline at 0800 611 116. For ongoing mental health care, your GP or local Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora service can advise on counselling or specialist assessment. Healthpoint lists local healthcare and kaupapa Māori providers, while the Mental Health Foundation maintains a broader national helplines directory.

For support after a crime, Victim Support – Manaaki Tāngata (0800 842 846) can assist victims, witnesses and whānau. Citizens Advice Bureau, Community Law and the Family Services Directory can help with legal rights, housing and local services. Work and Income and MoneyTalks are relevant when financial hardship is part of the problem. They are not emergency counselling services; eligibility varies.

What happens when you contact a helpline?

You can simply say: “I'm not sure who to call, but I need some help.” Expect questions about your safety, what happened and what you need next. Ask what is recorded and when information might be shared to prevent serious harm. Confidential does not always mean anonymous.

Choose phone when talking feels easier or the situation needs a rapid exchange. Choose text or webchat when privacy, hearing access, speaking difficulties or emotional overwhelm make a call harder. If you are supporting somebody else, say so: many services advise parents, partners, friends and whānau as well as the person directly affected.

Many helplines offer a conversation or referral, not ongoing therapy, medical assessment or a place to stay. If a service cannot help, ask who can, and how to contact them.

Common questions about helplines

Are helplines in New Zealand free?

Many national numbers and text shortcodes are free within New Zealand. Check charges if you are overseas or using another platform.

Can I contact a helpline without giving my name?

Some let you remain anonymous. Others need your details for a referral or to respond to serious risk. Ask before sharing information.

Which helpline is open in the middle of the night?

1737 is available by free call or text 24/7. Samaritans, Healthline and some specialist crisis services also offer round-the-clock contact. Other services have limited hours or different times for phone and webchat.

Can I call about a friend or family member?

Yes. Youthline, 1737 and many violence and addiction services advise whānau and friends too. For immediate danger, call 111.

What if I am not sure whether it is an emergency?

If a person may be in immediate danger or needs urgent Police, Fire or Ambulance assistance, call 111. For a Police matter that does not need an urgent response, call 105. For non-emergency health questions, call Healthline; for emotional support, call or text 1737.

Hours can change. Confirm with the service before relying on a particular contact method. Official directories: Mental Health Foundation helplines, New Zealand Police, 1737 and Safe to Talk. Contact details reviewed 1 November 2026.