Emergencies and safety in the UK — who to call

999 — life-threatening emergencies

Call 999 (or 112 — they go to the same call centre) for fire, ambulance, police, or coastguard when life is at risk, a crime is in progress, or someone is in immediate danger. Operators speak English; interpreters are available for over 200 other languages. The dispatcher will ask which service you need first, then ask for your location.

If you cannot speak — for example because someone is listening — stay on the line and tap any key, then press 55 when prompted. The Silent Solution system routes the call to the police. If you are deaf, use SMS to 999 (registered in advance via emergencysms.net) or BSL 999.

101 — non-urgent police

Call 101 to report a crime that has already happened (theft, vandalism, anti-social behaviour), to ask for advice, to follow up on an existing case, or to report something suspicious that is not an immediate threat. Calls are charged at a flat 15p regardless of length and are answered by the local force's call centre.

You can also report many crimes online via the local police force website or via the Action Fraud line for fraud and cybercrime. Online reporting gets you a crime reference number quickly — needed for insurance claims.

111 — NHS non-emergency advice

Call 111 (or use 111 online via 111.nhs.uk) for medical situations that are not life-threatening but need attention sooner than a routine GP appointment. The service is staffed by clinicians and call advisors 24/7, free from any phone.

111 can book you a same-day GP slot, send you to an urgent treatment centre, dispatch an ambulance if needed, or simply tell you that home care is fine. It is the right first call for: high temperatures in children, possible food poisoning, suspected fractures, or worsening symptoms of an existing condition.

A&E vs urgent treatment

A&E (Accident & Emergency, the hospital emergency department) is for serious or life-threatening problems. Wait times for non-life-threatening cases are routinely 4–8 hours and longer; the system asks you to call 111 first so they can route you somewhere faster if appropriate.

Urgent Treatment Centres (UTCs) and Walk-in Centres are an in-between: GP-led services for things that need same-day attention but not A&E. Most are bookable through 111; some accept walk-ins.

Action Fraud — reporting scams and cybercrime

Action Fraud (0300 123 2040) is the UK's national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime — investment scams, romance scams, phishing, identity theft, business email compromise. The service does not investigate individual cases for most callers but logs them centrally so the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau can spot patterns.

For phone scams (someone calls pretending to be your bank, HMRC, or the police): hang up, wait 30 seconds for the line to clear, then call your bank or the agency back via the official number. Real banks never ask for your full PIN or for you to move money to a "safe account".

Home break-in: what to do in the first hour

• Do not enter the property if anyone might still be inside. Call 999 from outside.
• Once safe, photograph everything before moving anything — insurance and police both want the original scene.
• List what is missing, including serial numbers for electronics. Receipts speed up insurance claims.
• Call 999 if the offender may still be in the area; otherwise 101 or report online to your local force. You will get a crime reference number — keep it.
• Contact your contents insurer within 24 hours; most policies have a notification deadline.
• If keys were taken, change the locks. Most landlords or letting agents handle this within 24 hours.

Power, water, and gas emergencies

Power cut: dial 105 — single national number that routes to your local distribution network operator. They give updates and an estimated restoration time.

Gas leak (smell of gas): leave the property, do not switch anything electrical on or off, and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999.

Water emergency: contact your local water company (bill in your name will list them). Many regions have a 24-hour leak line.