Emergency contact details and helplines

If there is an emergency, dial 999 for police, fire or ambulance. You can also dial 112 to contact the emergency services if you are anywhere in the European Union.

Emergency SMS Service – people in the UK who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech-impaired can send an SMS text message to the 999 service where it will be passed to the police, ambulance, fire rescue, or coastguard. For more information, including how to register for this service, see the Emergency SMS website.

Find out what you can do before an emergency happens at Directgov – preparing for emergencies.

Adult social care

• Social Care Direct – phone: 0345 60 80 191 (Mon to Thurs 8.30am to 5pm and Fridays 8.30am to 4.30pm)
• Emergency duty team – phone: 01323 636399 (Mon to Fri 5pm to 8.30am, all weekends and bank holidays)

Children's services

• During office hours – phone: 0345 60 80 192 (Mon to Fri 8am to 6pm)
• Emergency duty team – phone: 01273 335905/6 (available out of hours – Mon to Fri 5pm to 8am, all weekends and bank holidays)

Crime

• Reporting crime and anti-social behaviour
• Sussex Police – phone: 0845 60 70 999 (24hrs, non-emergencies)
• Neighbourhood policing:
  Eastbourne district
  Hastings district
  Lewes district
  Rother district
  Wealden district
• Crimestoppers – phone: 0800 555 111 (24hrs, your call is anonymous and will not be traced)

Highways

• Highways Contact Centre – phone: 0345 60 80 193 (Mon to Thurs 8.30am to 5pm, Fri 8.30am to 4.30pm)
• Local area highways offices:
  Eastbourne – phone: 0345 60 80 193
  Hastings – phone: 01424 451066
  Eastern – phone: 0345 60 80 193
  Western – phone: 0345 60 80 193
• Out of hours emergencies – phone: 01323 410051

Hospitals and health

• Conquest Hospital, St Leonards-on-Sea – phone: 01424 755255 (24hrs, has A&E)
• Eastbourne District General Hospital – phone: 01323 417400 (24hrs, has A&E)
• Bexhill Hospital – phone: 01424 755255
• Lewes Victoria Hospital – phone: 01273 474153
• Uckfield Community Hospital – phone: 01825 769999
• Brighton & Hove A&E services
• NHS Direct

Household

• British Red Cross fire and emergency support service – phone: 0844 871 11 11
  Practical help and emotional support for vulnerable people affected by a domestic fire or similar incident.

Community fire safety

• East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service – phone: 0845 130 8855 (non-emergencies)

Electricity

• EDF Energy – phone: 0800 783 8866 (24hrs)

Gas

• National Gas Emergency Service – phone: 0800 111 999 (24hrs)

Water and flooding

• Get flood alerts for your area by phone, and advice on how to prepare, from Floodline – phone: 0845 988 1188 (24hrs). See also our pages about Flooding.
• Drinking water, South East Water – phone: 0845 602 1724
• Waste water, Southern Water – phone: 0800 820 999 (24hrs)
• Water leak alert line (to report a leak from a water main), South East Water – phone: 0800 028 3399

Helplines

Many of the helplines below are open 24hrs a day.

Despair and loneliness

• Samaritans
  Confidential emotional support for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair.

Animal welfare

• RSPCA
  To report an act of cruelty, neglect or concern about the welfare of an animal.

Drugs and alcohol

• See our page about Drugs and alcohol

Children

• Childline
  Children and young people can call about any problem, at any time.
• NSPCC Child Protection Helpline
  Use their free number if you have any concerns about the welfare of a child.
• Still Birth & Neonatal Death Society
  Support for parents and families whose baby is stillborn or dies soon after birth.

Debt and gambling

• National Debtline
  Free, confidential and independent advice on dealing with debt problems.
• Gamblers Anonymous
  Aims to help compulsive gamblers overcome their addiction.

Domestic violence and rape

See our pages about domestic violence

Elderly

• Age Concern information line
  Service for older people, their relatives and friends, and professionals and carers.
• Elder Abuse Response helpline
  Freephone helpline for anyone concerned about the abuse of older people.
• Help the Aged's Seniorline
  Offers advice and information on welfare rights issues.

Homeless

• Shelterline
  Call freephone to talk in confidence and receive expert housing advice.
• See also our pages on housing

Immigration

• Immigration Advisory Service
  Operates a fee paying telehone advice service during office hours – or see their list of links for alternative sources of advice.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender

• Local counselling and advice listings from ESCIS

Mental health

• Mental health helpline

Missing persons

• National Missing Persons Helpline
  If you wish to call home, get information about a missing person, or are concerned about a missing friend or relative.
• The Salvation Army's Family Tracing Service
  Local call rate service for tracing relatives with whom contact has been lost.
• Runaway Helpline – Missing People.org.uk
  Pass on anonymous messages to your family if you have left home and don't want to be traced.

Relationships

• Relate – phone and online counselling
  Talk directly to a counsellor about any concerns you have about your relationship.

Terrorism

• Home Office Anti-Terrorism hotline
  Call the hotline if you have any tip-offs or confidential information about possible terrorist activity.
• Current terrorism threat level
• See also our pages about community safety and emergency planning

Victim support

• Victim Supportline
  Free and confidential support to help you deal with your experience of crime, whether you reported it or not.