Each year in communities across the UK, thousands of people need us.
House fires can leave families with nothing. Floods can take lives and destroy homes. And people that have had to flee conflict and persecution to seek safety in the UK, can often arrive feeling isolated and alone.
The British Red Cross is here for those moments we hope never come. Whether there’s a heatwave or a flood. A major power cut, or a house fire. Or a disaster abroad that forces people to evacuate or flee altogether.
Our local emergency response teams are ready to support people in crisis 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – and they help over 110,000 people impacted by disasters in the UK every year. But this is happening at a time when our services are stretched to the limit. That's why we're asking for your help, so we can continue to be there for people in their moment of need.
There's someone out there who needs you. Your donation could change their life.
How the British Red Cross helps in the UK
We provide practical support to people in the moment of crisis and set them on the road to recovery by:
- sending specialist response teams to provide immediate, short-term shelter.
- offering essentials such as bottled water, clothing, and toiletries.
- providing cash and vouchers so people have the dignity and choice to replace what they’ve lost.
We provide emotional support to people in the middle of a crisis, so they feel supported and safe, by:
- knocking on doors in remote communities to share important information and support evacuations in the event of extreme weather.
- making welfare calls to people who are more vulnerable during storms and power cuts.
- providing humanitarian support and comfort, for example welcoming and reassuring evacuees at airports.
What can your donations fund?
- £5 could buy a warm cotton blanket for a house fire survivor, helping them to stay warm as we support them to cope and recover from crisis.
- £15 could pay for a mobile phone to be topped up for a month, so that an asylum seeker can maintain contact with their loved ones and access support.
- £20 could pay for the essential items needed to care for a newborn baby, for a parent who has lost everything during flooding.
- £50 could fund a volunteer to get to and from five emergency incidents, helping them reach vulnerable people who have been impacted by fires, floods and other emergencies in the UK.