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Should I use Samaritans?

Free, 24/7 emotional support helpline — call 116 123 (UK & Ireland) - samaritans.org

Depends. Samaritans is not a software product — it's a free, 24/7 helpline (116 123) for anyone in emotional distress. Use it if you need support; if you were evaluating a tool to buy, there is nothing here to purchase, deploy, or integrate.

Confidence

Medium. Based on 14 public sources; many 'Samaritan' search results were unrelated organizations (Samaritan's Purse, Samaritan Ministries) and were excluded.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depthNot software; feature depth doesn't apply
  • Support qualityUser feedback in sources is inconclusive
  • Security postureNo findings either way in sources

Pricing

Not disclosed

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes

Best for

  • Anyone in emotional distress
  • People worried about someone else
  • Out-of-hours crisis listening (24/7)
  • UK & Ireland callers

Not for

  • Software buyers — there is no product here
  • Procurement or IT teams evaluating tools
  • Anyone needing medical treatment or diagnosis
  • Employers shopping for an EAP vendor

Gotchas - check before you buy

medium

Guess: listening support, not therapy — no diagnosis or treatment

low

Calling from abroad may cost money; Reddit users raised this

low

Look-alike 'Samaritan' organizations clutter research — verify

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Free 24/7 emotional support helpline
  • NHS signposts 116 123 for urgent mental health help
  • Offers safety-plan guidance for supporting someone else
  • Publishes annual impact reports with service evidence
  • Listed by Mind among UK mental health helplines

Cons

  • Not a product — nothing to buy, deploy, or integrate
  • Critical press coverage exists (Private Eye, 'Not good to talk')
  • Frequently confused with unrelated 'Samaritan' organizations online
  • Glassdoor shows 81 employee reviews; 69% figure cited

Sources & method

Analyzed 10/05/2026 - 14 sources - No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

official x6review x5security x1news x2

Key stats

  • Value for money: 5/5

    Rating

  • Not disclosed

    Starting price

  • 14

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 5/5. Entirely free; no cost barrier
  • Ease of use: 4/5. Just call 116 123, no signup
  • Feature depth. Not software; feature depth doesn't apply
  • Support quality. User feedback in sources is inconclusive
  • Security posture. No findings either way in sources
  • £0 Price Free helpline, no account needed
  • 24/7 Availability Round-the-clock crisis support
  • 116 123 Crisis line Free number listed by the NHS
  • 81 Glassdoor reviews Employee reviews, service-side signal

Pricing

Free tier: Yes

Security

No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

What users say

threads ask whether the helpline helps and what calling from abroad costs; the source snippets show no settled verdict.

“Is the Samaritans helpline good?”
Reddit, r/AskUK
“How does talking to Samaritans/other helplines help?”
Reddit, r/MentalHealthUK
“Will calling Samaritans hotline from abroad cost something?”
Reddit, r/AskUK
Full analysis

Based on 14 public sources; many 'Samaritan' search results were unrelated organizations (Samaritan's Purse, Samaritan Ministries) and were excluded.

Not software — Samaritans is a free 24/7 UK suicide-prevention helpline. Nothing to buy; call 116 123 if you need someone to listen.

Methodology

Based on 14 public sources; many 'Samaritan' search results were unrelated organizations (Samaritan's Purse, Samaritan Ministries) and were excluded.

Sources

  1. official
  2. official
  3. official
  4. official
  5. official
  6. official
  7. security
  8. review
  9. review
  10. review
  11. review
  12. review
  13. news
  14. news

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