Living in Iceland · Support
When life gets hard
If you are in a problem you cannot solve alone, you can reach out. You do not have to wait until it gets worse. Start with a free helpline if you do not know where to go. It can help you find the next step, whether the problem is about money, safety, health, or someone you love.
In danger now? Call 112.
If you need to talk but are not in immediate danger, call the Red Cross at 1717 or use the 1717 chat. Both are free, confidential and open day and night. You can ask to speak English. You can talk about money, housing, loneliness, addiction, violence or anything else. You do not need to prove that your problem is serious enough.
Guided by a resident. People who pointed the way helped shape this guide. Service details come from the organisations themselves and official Icelandic pages. This is not medical advice.
Last verified 26 September 2026 · 112.is, Icelandic Red Cross, Píeta, Landspítali, Heilsuvera, SÁÁ, VIRK, island.is, ÖBÍ and service organisations linked below
Find the help you need
If you need help right now
112 emergency
Free · day and night · anywhere in Iceland
Call 112 for immediate danger, a medical emergency, violence or a person who may hurt themselves. Tell them your location. If you cannot speak safely, use the 112 website to see other ways to contact emergency services. This is a phone and online service, not a place to walk into.
Landspítali psychiatric emergency
Medical assessment · no appointment needed · charges can apply
Call 543 4050 for the psychiatric service. At Hringbraut it receives visitors on weekdays 12:00–19:00 and weekends and holidays 13:00–17:00. At other times go to the emergency department at Fossvogur, open day and night. If someone is in danger, call 112 instead. Check the hospital's current directions before travelling.
Hospital care is not automatically free. What you pay depends on your insurance and situation. Do not delay emergency help because you are unsure of the cost.
Where: Psychiatric department, Landspítali at Hringbraut, Reykjavík; outside its visiting hours: emergency department, Áland 6, 108 Reykjavík (Fossvogur).
For a child or young person in immediate danger, call 112. The adult services below may have age limits; 1717 can help you find the right service for a young person.
If you need someone to talk to
Red Cross helpline 1717
Free · confidential · anonymous · day and night · English available
Call 1717 or write in the online chat. You can contact them with any problem: debt, grief, loneliness, family trouble, suicidal thoughts, alcohol, housing or something you cannot put into words yet. Volunteers listen and can point you to further help. Ask for English if you need it. About the service.
There is no walk-in address for the helpline. You call or chat from wherever you are.
Píeta
Suicidal thoughts, self-harm and support for family · free counselling for adults 18+
Call 1799, open day and night. Píeta also supports people worried about someone else or grieving a suicide. You do not need a doctor's referral for an appointment. Their website gives the current number and locations. If there is immediate danger, call 112.
Where: Grensásvegur 11, 2nd floor on the left, 108 Reykjavík. Contact Píeta first to arrange a visit; they also offer appointments in other parts of Iceland.
These two lines are free. Other services on this page may have fees or eligibility rules. If money or insurance is worrying you, tell the person you call. They can help you work out where to start.
If someone is hurting or controlling you
You do not need to decide whether to report anything before asking for advice. If you cannot safely stay where you are, call 112. The services below can talk with you even if you are not ready to leave. If someone can see your phone, use a device they cannot access when it is safe to do so.
Bjarkarhlíð
Violence and abuse · all genders · free · interpretation available
Call 553 3000 on weekdays or find booking and directions. It brings counselling, social support, legal information and contact with police together. It welcomes people regardless of gender, origin or social status. Support is on your terms.
Where: Bústaðavegur, 108 Reykjavík. Book before visiting; use the organisation's map for the entrance.
The Women’s Shelter
For women and their children facing violence at home · free counselling · day-and-night phone
Call 561 1205 before travelling. There are shelters in Reykjavík and Akureyri. Their addresses are not published here for safety; the staff will tell you where to go. You can ask for counselling without staying at the shelter. English and interpretation are available. Read who the shelter serves.
Stígamót
Sexual violence and abuse · free confidential counselling · all genders, mainly adults 18+
Call 562 6868 to make an appointment; counselling is available in English. For young people under 18, ask the service or 1717 where to start. Check the current reception hours before going.
Where: Höfðabakki 9a, 110 Reykjavík. Make an appointment before visiting.
If you need mental health care
If you are not in immediate danger, your local health centre is a good first place for continuing care. Tell them plainly how you feel and ask for a mental health appointment. You can use Heilsuvera if you have an electronic ID, or call your centre directly. You can call 1700 for nurse advice about where to go. That number is for health guidance, not an emergency line.
There is no single health-centre address for the whole country: find the one near your home on Heilsuvera. Visits and referrals may have charges. If you have just moved, read our healthcare guide about insurance. If you need to talk tonight, use 1717; if there is immediate danger, call 112.
For low mood during the darker months, see the dark winter guide. You do not have to decide on a diagnosis before asking for help.
If alcohol or drugs are becoming a problem
You can ask for help even if you are not ready to stop, have relapsed, or are worried about somebody else. If someone has collapsed, has trouble breathing, or may be in withdrawal that needs urgent care, call 112. A health centre can also help you find treatment.
SÁÁ and Vogur
Assessment, alcohol and drug treatment · admission and outpatient care
Call 530 7600 and say you want help for yourself or a family member. SÁÁ says you can ask for admission yourself; a doctor, social worker or family member can also contact them. Ask about an outpatient appointment while waiting. Do not go to Vogur expecting immediate admission without calling first. How treatment starts · Locations and hours.
Treatment is not always free. Icelandic health insurance may cover part of it, and outpatient visits can have a fee. Ask SÁÁ what applies to you before attending.
Where: Vogur hospital: Stórhöfði 45, 110 Reykjavík. SÁÁ office: Efstaleiti 7, 103 Reykjavík. Akureyri outpatient clinic: Hvannavellir 14, 600 Akureyri.
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
Peer meetings, not medical detox
See aa.is for the current meeting list, including language and address for each meeting. Check the listing before travelling; meeting places and times can change. AA is a peer group, not an emergency medical service.
Using illegal drugs can carry legal consequences, but do not let fear stop you seeking urgent medical help. If you do not know which service to call, 1717 can talk through the options with you.
What rehabilitation means
Rehabilitation means support to regain health, daily abilities or the ability to work after illness, injury or addiction. It is not one building or one benefit. Ask your doctor which kind fits your situation.
Medical rehabilitation
Treatment after illness or injury · doctor referral
Reykjalundur offers several programmes for adults 18 and over. Call 585 2000 for general information; it is in Mosfellsbær and requires a doctor's referral. Landspítali also provides rehabilitation. Start with your doctor rather than arriving without an appointment.
VIRK
Help returning to work when health makes work difficult · doctor's referral
Call 535 5700 or read how to request help through a doctor. VIRK works with a plan and a counsellor. It is not an emergency service or a general job agency.
Where: Borgartún 18, 105 Reykjavík. Call before visiting.
Social Insurance Administration (TR)
Possible payments while recovering · eligibility depends on your circumstances
Call 560 4400 on weekdays or check medical and rehabilitation allowance. The rules changed in 2025. Do not assume a payment starts automatically or that everyone qualifies. Ask what residence, medical and treatment-plan documents you need.
If you live with a disability
Help can mean advice, equipment, services at home or income support. These come from different places. You can ask questions before you have every document or know which office is responsible.
ÖBÍ advice
Free rights advice for disabled people and their families
Call the advice line 530 6710 on Thursdays 13:00–15:00, or reception at 530 6700. ÖBÍ's social workers and lawyers can help you understand your rights and who to contact next. About their advice service.
Where: Sigtún 42, 105 Reykjavík. Arrange an appointment before visiting.
TR, Icelandic Health Insurance and your municipality
Payments, assistive devices and support with daily life
For possible disability payments, call TR at 560 4400 and check current eligibility. For help paying for aids such as wheelchairs, check Icelandic Health Insurance. For support at home or local services, contact your municipality's social services through our municipal support guide.
Insurance, residence and assessment rules matter. If you are moving to Iceland, check them before you rely on a payment or service. 1717 can help you find a first contact if you feel overwhelmed.
If money is the first problem
Call 1717 even if the problem feels “only” financial. The Red Cross says it also listens to people facing financial issues and can point them to help. For local financial support and the office that serves your address, see municipal support. If you have no safe place to stay tonight, tell 1717 what is happening rather than waiting for an online form. If you are in immediate danger, call 112.
Sources and current details
Numbers, hours and locations can change. Check the linked service before travelling. A crisis line is not the same as an appointment or a walk-in clinic.
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