Our helpline on 0800 652 6352 is open from Monday to Friday, 10am to 2pm. We’ve had to reduce the hours now that we’re in another national lockdown, to make sure our team can continue to support callers in a confidential environment.
If you call and the team is unable to answer your call, they will pick up voice messages. Leave your name and number and one of our team will get back to you when they can, even if it’s outside of those hours. Otherwise you can always email us at info@musculardystrophyuk.org and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Watch the video to find out how the Kay family were helped by the Muscular Dystrophy UK helpline.
If you're under 18
Please note that on our helpline we offer support to anyone over the age of 18. If you’re under 18, here is a list of organisations you can get in touch with for support.
- Samaritans
Anyone can contact Samaritans. They offer a safe place for you to talk any time you like, in your own way, no matter how old you are.
116 123
www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help-you/if-youre-under-18 - SupportLine
SupportLine offers confidential emotional support to children and young adults by telephone, email and post. They can also give you details of counsellors, agencies and support groups throughout the UK.
01708 765200 - The Mix – essential support for under 25s
The UK’s leading support service for young people, The Mix is there for you to talk to online, on social media or on their free, confidential helpline.
0808 808 4994
www.themix.org.uk - National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS)
NYAS is a rights-based charity operating across England and Wales for children, young people and adults. They offer a variety of services including a national advocacy helpline, and advocacy for children and young people with disabilities.0808 808 1001 - Childline
Childline is a free, private and confidential service for anyone under 19 in the UK. You can talk to their trained counsellors about any issue you’re going through, anytime. On the phone, by email, or face-to-face – whatever feels best for you.
0800 1111
www.childline.org.uk - Scope helpline
Scope provides free, independent and impartial information and support on issues that matter to disabled people and their families.
0808 800 3333
www.scope.org.uk/advice-and-support/
Confidentiality
Muscular Dystrophy’s UK helpline is a confidential service, we want you to feel safe when you talk to us. We would only need to share what you tell us with someone if:
- you ask us to get you help because you can’t do this yourself
- we believe someone else is at risk of serious harm
- we are told about acts of terrorism or bomb warnings
- you are under 18 and we think you are at risk of serious harm
- you are over 18 and have told us your name and where you are, and we think you are at risk of serious harm
We always want to give you as much control as possible, and will explain our policy to you and tell you if we feel we might need to contact emergency services to help you access support.
If you contact us by phone we will be able to see your phone number, and might use this if one of the situations listed above comes us. If you prefer to remain completely anonymous you might want to withhold your number before calling.
If you contact us by email we will be able to see your email address and your IP address. Please let us know if you would like your contact details to be stored on our database. By being on our database you will receive up to date news, information and notification of events via email.
Anonymised details of queries, such as age and query topic, are kept to help us develop the service and raise funds to keep it going.