Today, Samaritans announces three areas of change that will shape the suicide prevention charity’s future and ensure it is here for more people
Today, Samaritans announces three areas of change that will shape the suicide prevention charity’s future and ensure it is here for more people.
Samaritans volunteers last year responded to more than 3.3 million calls. With more people experiencing suicidal thoughts and attempts in their lifetime*, the need for Samaritans' life-saving service is sadly both urgent and long term.
Despite volunteers answering a call for help every 10 seconds, there are times of the day when people in crisis can’t get through. The charity that prevents suicide through the power of human connection is determined to change this and reach a place where no one waits longer than five minutes to speak to a volunteer.
With this ambition, the charity engaged with approximately 23,000 volunteers on proposals that would enable them to answer more calls, have more volunteers on duty and be there for more people in their darkest moments.
Following months of listening to volunteer feedback, Samaritans is announcing the adoption of ‘pathfinder’ areas to change the footprint of branches in the UK, the expansion of their online chat service and pilot remote volunteering.
Pathfinders
When Samaritans was launched over 70 years ago, the service was set up around local telephone numbers for local branches. Branches have long since been part of a national network, so callers are connected to the first available volunteer regardless of location. Yet despite answering a call every 10 seconds, there are certain times of day, usually in the middle of the night when there are not enough volunteers available, leaving callers waiting too long to get the support they need.
In an effort to improve service coverage and meet demand for the service now and in the future, Samaritans will adopt a test and learn approach in three ‘pathfinder’ areas which were found to have an appropriate mix of branch locations (urban and rural) and sizes: South East England, Yorkshire and Humberside and Scotland. From April 2026, the charity will work with volunteer leaders to find the best model for the future, which will include the scaling up, mergers and regrettably closures of some branches. The learnings will then shape next steps in the rest of the UK but this will not be before the end of 2028.
Online chat
Samaritans is also today confirming plans that will see the charity’s online chat service expanded, with the ambition to make the service available 24/7, 365 days a year, just like the telephone service.
The online chat service has been running as a pilot and together with its core telephone helpline is consistently in high demand. Increasing the capacity to answer calls on the helpline and scaling up the online chat service therefore has the highest potential to support people feeling suicidal.
Over recent years, the way we communicate has changed and Samaritans responded to the growing preference for instant messaging by launching an online chat pilot in 2020. Currently, online chat is only provided for limited hours, 6 days a week but Samaritans’ aim is to make this available to everyone, every hour of every day, just like the helpline.
Remote volunteering
Samaritans is built upon the commitment of volunteers from all walks of life. As the world changes, Samaritans must evolve and adapt with it to make sure its volunteering model is sustainable so the charity will continue to be here for people today and in the future.
Increasing volunteering opportunities is an important way for Samaritans to thrive, not just survive. Volunteering from home offers more flexibility which can attract people who want to volunteer for the charity but are currently prevented from doing so if it can only be done in branch. The pilot of optional remote volunteering will focus on increasing the number of volunteers available in the middle of the night, which is routinely the most challenging shift to fill.
Samaritans is announcing it will begin a robustly evaluated two-stage pilot of remote volunteering. A sample of 20 volunteers will take part in a pre-test phase to ensure the safety and efficacy of the service before 120 volunteers take part in a pilot in early 2026. Remote volunteering will only be rolled out fully as an optional, additional volunteering opportunity if the pilot is deemed to be safe for volunteers and callers.
Julie Bentley, Chief Executive of Samaritans, said: “We believe the power of human connection can prevent suicide and our volunteers offer a life-saving service to those in crisis, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. These two things will never change at Samaritans, and they underpin our founding purpose to reduce deaths by suicide. Someone takes their own life every 90 minutes and that is something our charity wants to do all we can to change. We’ve listened to our volunteers, and their voice has helped shape how we make Samaritans fit for the future and the steps needed to get there.
“Although making these changes will be challenging for us, it is a challenge we are determined to face into. The plans we announce today will help us be here for more people who need our support, in the moment they need us the most. A moment too late isn’t an option for us. With the incredible service of our wonderful volunteers and the support of the public, we can respond to even more people in need, so no one feels like they have no choice but to take their own life. Together, we can prevent suicide.”
The changes announced today are UK only and the engagement process with volunteers for Ireland will begin in 2027.
ENDS
Notes to editors
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About Samaritans
- Every 10 seconds, Samaritans responds to a call for help.
- Samaritans volunteers are available round-the-clock to listen and support people. They won’t judge or tell you what to do.
- Anyone can contact Samaritans, free, any time from any phone on 116 123, even a mobile without credit. This number won’t show up on your phone bill. Or you can visit www.samaritans.org
- Samaritans is a charity and it’s the public’s kind donations and around 23,000 volunteers that mean we are always there for anyone struggling to cope. Find out how you can support us or volunteer with us.