The StartHere information service is a self-help facility that links you to a wide range of national and local services that can help when you have a problem.

It covers a broad range of issues — including health, caring, families, education, employment, benefits, wellbeing and welfare rights — giving a brief summary of the topic and signposting to hundreds of national, and thousands of local organisations, mostly providing FREE services.

To point you in the right direction, the country is divided into a number of areas shown on maps. National and local organisations serving each area can be reached by clicking on the maps.

The coverage of local organisations is not yet complete. The maps indicate the areas where information about local organisations is provided. In areas where it is not, national organisations can usually help. New local information will be added as it becomes available.

To get started, just click on the button and go to the map.