Emergency Numbers

Emergency numbers & information shortlist for quick access

UK emergency number = 999 - also 112
The (Pan) European Emergency Number = 112
USA, Canada, Mexico = 911; Aus = 000 (112 from mobiles) NZ = 111
A full alphabetical listing, of national emergency numbers by country is at Wikipedia here
The UK Police non emergency number is otherwise = 101
Alternative non-emergency police contact numbers: see our UK Police Forces post



For NHS 24/7 non life threatening emergencies you can use 111 (Textphone 18001 111)
National Anti-Terrorist Hotline = 0800 789 321
Crimestoppers = 0800 555 111
Childline = 0800 1111
Samaritans = 08457 909090 (From the RoI = 116 123)



RSPCA 24/7 line = 0300 1234 999
Network Rail 24/7 number = 08457 11 41 41
British Transport Police = 0800 40 50 40
Gas Emergency = 0800 111 999
Floodline 24/7 from the Environment Agency = 0345 988 1188 (type talk 0345 602 6430)
Environmental hazards and incident hotline (Environment Agency) 24/7 = 0800 80 70 60
For electrical power emergencies see the power cuts and emergencies post

Problems abroad?

Consular assistance if arrested abroad - website only with drop down search facility for specific resources by country
Advice regarding losing various cards overseas can be found at CardsGone.Com

More information is available in these posts:
Lost cards or possessions abroad and
UK Government support abroad

End (of this listing, which may be inaccurate, incomplete and subject to change or deletion later)

UK Government support abroad

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office presents a large (32 pages with lots of graphic) but rather corporate (self aggrandizing rather than comprehensive) pdf brochure here. It may be worth your while wading through this, particularly if you are concerned about forced marriages, emigrating or a host of other issues.  Below is presented some of the key links from the above brochure, plus several other useful sources it does not refer to.

Assorted official advice for British nationals traveling overseas. This government web page presents an extensive list of more focused information resources, including advice on dealing with commercial disputes in China, living in Morocco and how to avoid cyclones. A few of about a hundred more focused resource links here are included in the listing below


Consular assistance if arrested abroad - website only with drop down search facility for  specific resources by country

Consular and other UK government offices abroad - website only with extensive links list

Driving abroad -  official advice - mainly links to the AA & RAC, plus reference tot he International Driving Permit. (Other posts on this site will later offer more information on overseas road safety.)

Foreign travel checklist - official no-brainer advice

Know before you go - the official FCO pre travel advice site

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender foreign travel advice - from fco.gov

Official foreign travel advice - A-Z list of country links with related UK government advice

NHS Abroad. It would seem NHS advice for UK people overseas is fairly limited. This page on the NHS site offers advice on healthcare services and the EHIC (European Health) card by country. This page is the standard NHS symptom checker site, where no phone call is needed.

Personal food, plant and animal imports - official  advice

Reporting a lost or stolen passport (See also our post on lost cards and property)

Finally, did you know that European Union citizens who experience difficulties outside of the EU may seek protection and assistance from the embassy or consulate of ANY EU member country.

End (of this page - suggestions for improvement welcome)

Overseas emergency contacts

The (Pan) European Emergency Number (Including the UK) is 112
112 is supplemented in France with 15  (Medical) and 17 (Police) emergency numbers. 
USA, Canada, Mexico = 911; Aus = 000 (112 from mobiles) NZ = 111

A full alphabetical listing, of national emergency numbers by country is at Wikipedia here

At the bottom of this page there is a comprehensive listing of the non urgent contact numbers for the UK's different police forces, including how to phone them from abroad.

Consular assistance if arrested abroad - website only with drop down search facility for  specific resources by country

Consular and other UK government offices abroad - website only with extensive links list

NHS Abroad. It would seem NHS advice for UK people overseas is fairly limited. This page on the NHS site offers advice on healthcare services and the EHIC (European Health) card by country. This page is the standard NHS symptom checker site, where no phone call is needed.

Alternative non-emergency contact numbers by police force:

(From Police.UK  at 25 June 2014)

Police force	Telephone number	From abroad
Avon and Somerset Constabulary	01275 818340	+44 1275 818340
Bedfordshire Police	01234 841212	+44 1234 841212
British Transport Police	0800 405040	-
Cambridgeshire Constabulary	01480 456111	+44 1480 456111
Cheshire Constabulary	01244 350000	+44 1244 350000
City of London Police	020 7601 2222	+44 20 7601 2222
Cleveland Police	01642 326326	+44 1642 326326
Cumbria Constabulary	0845 3300247	-
Derbyshire Constabulary	0345 1233333	-
Devon & Cornwall Police	01392 420320	+44 1392 420320
Dorset Police	01202 222222	+44 1202 222222
Durham Constabulary	0345 6060365	-
Dyfed Powys Police	01267 222020	+44 1267 222020
Essex Police	01245 491491	+44 1245 491491
Gloucestershire Constabulary	01452 726920	+44 1452 726920
Greater Manchester Police	0161 872 5050	+44 161 872 5050
Gwent Police	01633 838111	+44 1633 838111
Hampshire Constabulary	01962 841534	+44 1962 841534
Hertfordshire Constabulary	01707 354000	+44 1707 354000
Humberside Police	01482 597600	+44 1482 597600
Kent Police	01622 690690	+44 1622 690690
Lancashire Constabulary	01772 614444	+44 1772 614444
Leicestershire Police	0116 222 2222	+44 116 222 2222
Lincolnshire Police	01522 532222	+44 1522 532222
Merseyside Police	0151 709 6010	+44 151 709 6010
Metropolitan Police Service	020 7230 1212	+44 20 7230 1212
Norfolk Constabulary	01953 424242	+44 1953 424242
North Yorkshire Police	01904 618691	+44 1904 618691
Northamptonshire Police	03000 111 222	-
Northumbria Police	01661 872555	+44 1661 872555
North Wales Police	0300 330 0101	-
Nottinghamshire Police	0115 967 0999	+44 115 967 0999
Police Scotland	01786 289070	+44 1786 289070
Police Service of Northern Ireland	028 9065 0222	+44 28 9065 0222
South Wales Police	01656 655555	+44 1656 655555
South Yorkshire Police	0114 2202020	+44 114 2202020
Staffordshire Police	0300 123 4455	-
Suffolk Constabulary	01473 613500	+44 1473 613500
Surrey Police	01483 571212	+44 1483 571212
Sussex Police	01273 475432	+44 1273 475432
Thames Valley Police	01865 841148	+44 1865 841148
Warwickshire Police	01926 415000	+44 1926 415000
West Mercia Police	0300 333 3000	-
West Midlands Police	0345 113 5000	-
West Yorkshire Police	01924 375 222	+44 1924 375 222
Wiltshire Police	01380 735 735	+44 1380 735 735

Other posts on this site present information on lost cards and property abroad, and government services and advice for UK travelers.

End (of this post - suggestions for improvement welcome)

Lost cards or possessions abroad

Lost your cards abroad ?

If you lose your cards abroad, you lose both the telephone number on the back of the card and the ability to dial an 0844 or similar number. Luckily MoneySavingExpert.Com offers a facility, to allow you to quickly compile virtually all the telephone numbers you need in one go at CardsGone.Com.

Behind this facility the same site also presents a table of telephone numbers for virtually every imaginable type of card you might lose: from AA and store cards to credit and debit cards. The table can be accessed here.

Also, you may be reassured to know that several banks will allow you to report your problems to them, having reversed the charges via an overseas operator.

Your money or possessions are lost or stolen abroad

The Citizens Advice Bureau has a page dedicated to this subject here.

You may also like to check out our other travel emergency and advice pages, which include international numbers for the UK's different police forces and other emergency contact information

Closing note

Losing possessions abroad can be massively inconvenient and distressing. When it comes to making an insurance claim do not just look to your travel insurance but remember any other insurance you might also have that may also cover you. For example, household insurance can often be useful.