Helpline
Our trained, confidential and compassionate helpliners provide information and support to people living with pain.
Contact us at any time. Just leave a message with your name and phone number and we will get back to you as soon as we can – usually on the next working day.
Please note that we are not a crisis line
If you need immediate help
Samaritans – Call 116 123 (free, 24/7, 365 days a year). Their trained volunteers offer a confidential listening service for anyone in distress.
NHS 111 – Call 111 for 24-hour medical advice.
You can also visit 111.nhs.uk.
Please note: Pain Concern is not responsible for advice provided by external organisations.
How we can help
We’re here to support you in navigating life with chronic pain. We’ll help you:
Prepare for healthcare appointments
Get the most out of your consultations by going in confident and prepared, using tools like the Self-Management Navigator.
Support with living with pain
Learn practical strategies to manage your pain day-to-day, including pacing, handling flare-ups and building resilience.
Provide trusted information
Access reliable, evidence-based resources so you can make informed decisions about your health and wellbeing.
Follow-up after Pain Education Sessions
Put your learnings into practice, continuing your journey towards better pain management.
What our team cannot do
Our team cannot:
- Provide medical, legal or personal advice
- Diagnose health conditions or offer specific treatment recommendations
- Share personal opinions (though they may speak from lived experience)
- Become personally involved with callers
- Remain on a call if they feel threatened or abused
- Provide a callback to anyone outside of the UK. However, they can respond by email
- Offer multiple responses about the same query, as we are a small service and want to make sure we can support everyone needing our help. Follow-up questions are absolutely fine
Thank you for understanding the boundaries of our service, which help us keep the helpline safe and supportive for everyone.
Helpline feedback
Have you contacted our helpline recently? Your feedback is essential for improving the support we offer. By taking a few moments to complete our short survey, you’ll be helping us to help others.
About our helpline service
Costing and billing information
Pain Concern’s helpline number, 0300 123 0789, is part of a range dedicated to non-profit organisations. Calls to 0300 numbers are charged at the same rate as standard UK geographic numbers starting with ‘01’ or ‘02′. If you have inclusive minutes or discount schemes with your landline or mobile provider, calls to our helpline are usually covered.
Pain Concern does not make any money from the calls you make to us.
Please note: our number may appear on your itemised phone bill, depending on your provider.
Professional support and quality assurance
To ensure that we maintain a high-quality service, our helpline team is supported with external supervision and debriefing from expert counsellors at Professional Help.
Pain Concern is a proud member of both the Helplines Partnership and SAFEcic, adhering to their professional standards and best practices.
We also work closely with Evaluation Support Scotland to monitor and evaluate our service, helping us continually improve and meet the needs of those we support.
Zero-tolerance policy
Pain Concern is committed to maintaining a safe and respectful environment for everyone. We operate a zero-tolerance policy towards any form of discrimination, harassment, or physical or verbal abuse directed at our staff or volunteers.
Thank you for helping us ensure our helpline remains a supportive space for all.
Further information
Pain Concern’s helpline is not a substitute for medical care or advice. We always suggest that you check with your healthcare professionals if you have any concerns about your condition or treatment.
Pain Concern is committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of children and vulnerable adults. See our Safeguarding of Children and Vulnerable Adults Policy for more information.
We are proud to be Organisational Members of the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society, and abide by their Code of Ethical Practice.
