If you cannot speak but need assistance, type 55, and you will be connected to the police, who can locate you.
The emergency services call handlers are skilled at asking the right questions to make sure you receive the best possible support.
If it’s not an emergency and you think a crime has been committed, call 101 to speak to the police.
If you, or someone you know, isn’t safe or seems to be at risk, there are things you can do.
You don’t need to be certain that abuse is happening – raising a concern is enough. If something doesn’t feel right, it’s important to talk to someone.
If a crime is in progress or someone is in immediate danger call 999.
For non-emergency police enquiries, you can call 101 or visit www.police.uk/pu/contact-us
If you’re feeling unwell, struggling with your mental health, or worried about someone else, there are several NHS services available to support you. You don’t need to wait until things become serious – reaching out early can make all the difference.
You can also visit our wellbeing page where you can find information on free and confidential mental health support provided by our wellbeing partner, Health Assured. www.orbitcustomerhub.org.uk/help-support/mywellbeing
Your GP should be your first point of contact for most health concerns, whether physical, emotional, or mental health related. Most GP surgeries now offer online forms or email services, so it’s easier for you to access support without waiting on the phone. It also clearly documents the concerns you raise. Just keep an eye on your junk folder for any replies.
GPs can help with a wide range of issues, including anxiety, injuries, ongoing health conditions, medication concerns and safeguarding worries.
If you are unsure about contacting your GP, NHS 111 is a safe space to start.
You can call NHS 111 anytime. It’s free to use and provides quick guidance if you’re not sure what to do.
You can also visit online www.111.nhs.uk
We want everyone to feel safe, secure, and supported in their home. Safeguarding is about protecting individuals from harm, abuse, exploitation, and neglect. This includes children, adults with care and support needs, and anyone who may be at increased risk due to personal circumstances.
Sometimes you may have concerns about your own wellbeing or about someone you know – a neighbour, friend, or family member. These feelings are important, and you don’t have to ignore them or manage them alone.
There is no wrong time to ask for help, and it may help to reach out to an organisation which provides advice and support.
Whether you’re looking for information, emotional support, or expert advice, the services listed below can offer confidential help. Taking the first step, even just for a conversation, can make a difference for you or someone you’re worried about.
Children & Young People
NSPCC
www.nspcc.org.uk
0808 800 5000
Childline
www.childline.org.uk
0800 1111
Local crisis teams
Samaritans
www.samaritans.org
Call 116 123 (24/7)
Shout: Text SHOUT to 85258
Domestic Abuse
National Domestic Abuse Helpline. Also known as - Refuge
www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk
0808 2000 247
Men’s Advice Line Also known as - Respect
www.mensadviceline.org.uk
0808 801 0327
Galop (LGBTQ+ anti-abuse charity):
www.galop.org.uk
0800 999 5428
Mental Health & Emotional Support
Samaritans: 116 123
Shout Text Support: Text SHOUT to 85258
Older People
Age UK
https://www.ageuk.org.uk/0800 678 1602
Financial Abuse, Scams & Fraud
Action Fraud
www.actionfraud.police.uk
0300 123 2040
Hate Crime
Stop Hate
www.stophateuk.org
0800 138 1625
Risk of Homelessness
Shelter
www.shelter.org.uk
0808 800 4444
If you notice anything that makes you worry about someone's safety or well-being, especially if it’s a child or vulnerable adult, it's important to report it right away. Speaking up is always the right choice and could significantly impact someone's life for the better or even keep them safe from future harm.
If a child or young person is in danger or at immediate risk of harm please contact the police on 999.
Child abuse includes physical, sexual and emotional abuse, and neglect. You can read more about the signs of child abuse on the NSPCC website.
Not all neglect is intentional. Children may bare the side effects of difficulty experienced by a parent. By reaching out to children’s services, designed to help the child, the parent will also be supported. This ultimately keeps the child safe and improves their quality of life.
You don’t need to be sure that a child or young person has been abused - it’s OK to report a suspicion to agencies who will know what to do to help.
If you think a child or young person is at risk or being abused or neglected:
If you are a young person and need support, because you are worried about yourself or someone else, you can contact ChildLine: www.childline.org.uk or call 0800 1111.
If someone is in danger or at immediate risk of harm you should always contact the police on 999.
Are you worried about someone because you think:
They may not realise they’re being abused or neglected or may be unable to speak out about their abuse. Reporting concerns of adult abuse can make sure that the person is kept safe and offered the right support.
If you are concerned about someone’s safety or wellbeing, please report it directly to your local authority safeguarding team. You can find contact details for your local authority here.
Further information on contacting the Police can be found here.
If you think a situation may have knock-on effects on the welfare of a child, you can also contact NSPCC.
Safeguarding is the action taken to protect people’s rights to live safely and free from harm and neglect. Safeguarding usually refers to children, young people and vulnerable adults, but anyone at any age can experience abuse, harm, neglect or exploitation.
Local Authorities and other public agencies such as police, health and education and some charitable organisations, hold statutory safeguarding duties to respond to concerns about a person’s safety and wellbeing.
We work closely with our communities which means we’re able to identify abuse and neglect but importantly, we’re able to work with people to prevent smaller life challenges becoming safeguarding concerns.
The NHS provides more information about adult safeguarding here.
All children, without exception, have the right to protection from abuse and neglect regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality or beliefs. As a housing provider, we play an important role in safeguarding, alongside our partner agencies, such as social care, health and the police, in promoting the welfare of children and young people and in protecting them from harm.
As a social housing provider, we have a responsibility to ensure our customers are safe and to act if we become aware of anyone who is suffering, or at risk of suffering harm.
We also have an opportunity to make a difference for our customers and help support positive changes in their lives.
Housing is a vital component of multi-agency safeguarding partnerships as we’re well placed to identify people who may need help or are at risk of abuse, share information and work in partnership to coordinate responses.
We’re proud to have attained Leaders in Safeguarding a registered quality mark awarded to organisations that demonstrate highly effective and robust safeguarding arrangements and a commitment to keeping children, young people and vulnerable adults safe,
If you need our advice or support you can call our Customer Hub on 0800 678 1221.
Or you can chat to us via the Chatbot service.
We work continually to ensure all our colleagues understand their role in helping to protect customers from abuse and risk of harm and they are trained in identifying safeguarding concerns. We’re guided by our Safeguarding policy and work alongside partner agencies to make sure that safeguarding concerns are referred in a timely manner to the relevant professional agencies.
If we identify safeguarding concerns, it may be necessary to share information with the relevant statutory agencies.
We follow a Making Safeguarding Personal (MSP) approach. This means that we adopt a person-centred approach to actively involve an individual in decisions about their safety and well-being. So, if it’s safe to do so, we’ll always ask the person what they want to do about abuse or neglect and seek a person’s consent before contacting and sharing information with safeguarding partners.
Every individual’s situation is unique, meaning that there is no one-size-fits-all approach.
Better Days is an Orbit service which provides support and guidance to help prevent an issue from turning into a crisis situation.
If we are already in contact with you, we may ask your permission to refer you to our Better Days service if we feel it could help. You can also request support yourself by filling in the form on the website.
Our expert team can offer advice and guidance and supply you with free information that helps address challenges like financial management, employment or your wellbeing. You can also access advice on dealing with domestic abuse, anti-social behaviour, hoarding, or hate crime with our Better Days service.
