Personal support
Barristers, clerks and chambers' staff are exposed to emotionally and psychologically challenging environments on a daily basis. We aim to tackle the stigma associated with poor mental health and encourage members of the profession, and those who support us, to better understand wellbeing and feel empowered to make choices for their own wellbeing.
There are a range of wellbeing support services and resources available to barristers on our Wellbeing at the Bar online hub, where members of the profession can find:
- the information and skills they need to stay well
- support dealing with difficulties that arise in their profession
- advice for those providing assistance to others in difficulty or crisis
If you have experienced sexual harassment, our Bullying and harassment page includes support and how you can report an incident.
Whether or not you celebrate Christmas, your mental health might be affected by the occasion. It's a time of year that often brings extra pressure and it can impact on mental health in lots of different ways. If you need support over the Christmas break:
- Our assistance programme is a confidential 24/7 service to help with physical, mental, social and financial challenges. The service is on offer to support all self-employed barristers with a practising certificate, pupils, IBC or LPMA members. The phone number is 0800 169 2040. More information is available on our Wellbeing at the Bar website.
- The mental health charity Mind has collated a very useful list of contact numbers for organisations offering support on a range of issues including mental health, suicide, substance abuse, and domestic violence. Useful contacts for both England and Wales
LawCare is a free and completely confidential advisory service to help lawyers, part-funded by the Bar Council. It aims to help them, their immediate families and their staff to deal with the health issues and related emotional difficulties that can result from a stressful career in the law.
LawCare offer the opportunity for you to discuss problems which are interfering with, or have the potential to interfere with, your work performance and/or your family life and to seek help in resolving these problems.
The LawCare service is available to all lawyers, their staff and immediate families.
The LawCare helpline is open Monday to Friday 9-5. You can also email them at [email protected] or access online chat through their website www.lawcare.org.uk
Call LawCare on 0800 279 6888
LawCare is a registered charity.
The Bar Council, in partnership with Health Assured, offer an Assistance Programme (AP), generously funded by the Bar Mutual Indemnity Fund (BMIF). It is a confidential 24/7 service to help with physical, mental, social and financial challenges. The service is on offer to support barristers, pupils, IBC or LPMA members. The phone number is 0800 169 2040. More information is available on our Wellbeing at the Bar website.
Health Assured will provide the confidential telephone support and counselling service, and will also access to a wide range of wellbeing fact sheets, videos, self-help programmes, interactive tools and educational resources. These will complement existing wellbeing resources and can be found through the Wellbeing at the Bar online hub.
- Self-employed barristers can phone a confidential helpline on 0800 169 2040. The service, operated by Health Assured, can be reached at any time.
- The Samaritans helpline can be called for free at any time, day or night, on 116 123. Whatever you’re going through, they provide confidential listening and support.
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The mental health charity Mind has collated a very useful list of contact numbers for organisations offering support on a range of issues including mental health, suicide, substance abuse, and domestic violence. Useful contacts for both England and Wales