Support after service
Leaving policing can bring loss of identity, isolation, grief and the delayed impact of traumatic events. You do not have to face it alone. Confidential support is available for former BTP colleagues, former officers and staff across the wider police service, and their families.
You are not the only one
The impact of the job does not always end on your last day
The structure, purpose and close-knit relationships of police service can disappear quickly after retirement or resignation. At the same time, experiences that were pushed aside while serving may become harder to ignore.
- Missing the team, routine, responsibility or sense of purpose
- Feeling cut off from people who understand police culture
- Grieving for a colleague, partner, family member or former life
- Living with intrusive memories, poor sleep, anger or hypervigilance
- Using alcohol, avoidance or overwork to keep difficult feelings down
Reaching out is not weakness. It is a practical step towards regaining control, protecting relationships and building a life beyond the job.
Recognising what is happening
Different experiences may overlap
There is no single “right” way to respond after service. These are common difficulties, not personal failings, and effective help is available.
Loneliness and loss of identity
You may be surrounded by people and still feel alone. Losing rank, role, routine and regular contact with colleagues can leave a gap that family and civilian friends may not fully understand.
- Arrange one regular contact with a trusted former colleague.
- Rejoin a group, branch, hobby or volunteering activity.
- Tell someone plainly: “I am becoming isolated.”
Suicidal thoughts or feeling unable to continue
Thoughts of suicide can arise when pain, shame, trauma or hopelessness feels overwhelming. They are a signal to get immediate support, not something you must manage alone.
- Tell another person what is happening and ask them to stay.
- Create distance from anything you could use to harm yourself.
- Call 999 if there is immediate danger; otherwise use the crisis contacts below.
Bereavement
Grief may follow the death of a colleague, partner, family member or friend. A death by suicide or on duty can bring additional shock, unanswered questions, anger and guilt.
- There is no fixed timetable for grief.
- Peer support can reduce the feeling that nobody understands.
- Your GP can help when grief is seriously affecting sleep, health or daily life.
PTSD and cumulative trauma
Repeated exposure to death, injury, violence, threat and human distress can have a cumulative effect. Symptoms may emerge or intensify after the operational pressure has ended.
- Common signs include nightmares, avoidance, irritability and feeling constantly on guard.
- Trauma-focused CBT and EMDR are established treatment approaches.
- Seek a clinician or service experienced in policing and trauma.
Act now
Urgent and immediate help
Use these services for yourself or when you are worried about somebody else. Do not leave a person alone when you believe there is an immediate risk.
Immediate danger or serious harm
Call the emergency services or go to the nearest Accident & Emergency department.
999Talk to someone at any time
Samaritans provides free, confidential listening, 24 hours a day.
116 123Urgent mental health support
In England, Wales and Scotland, call 111 and choose the mental health option.
111Prefer to text?
Text SHOUT to 85258 for free, confidential, 24/7 text support in the UK.
85258Country-specific crisis information
- England: call NHS 111 and select the mental health option.
- Wales: call NHS 111 and press option 2.
- Scotland: call NHS 24 on 111 and choose the mental health option.
- Northern Ireland: call Lifeline free on 0808 808 8000, 24/7.
Keep it manageable
Start with one next step
You do not need to solve everything today. Choose the most realistic action and let another person help with the next one.
Tell one person
Use direct words: “I am not coping”, “I am having thoughts of suicide” or “the job is still affecting me”. Clear language helps others respond.
Contact your GP
Ask for an appointment about mental health, trauma, sleep, alcohol use or bereavement. Explain the effect on everyday life and relationships.
Use police-specific support
Police Care UK and NARPO understand the culture, risks and long-term consequences of policing, including the period after leaving service.
Reduce isolation
Arrange a call, coffee or walk at a fixed time. A specific plan is easier to keep than a general promise to “catch up sometime”.
Make the next 24 hours safer
Avoid being alone during a crisis, reduce access to anything that could be used for harm, and write down who you will contact if feelings intensify.
Keep trying
The first service or person may not be the right fit. That does not mean support will not work. Ask for another clinician, referral or approach.
Independent specialist services
UK support directory
These organisations are independent of NARBTPO. Eligibility and opening hours can change, so check the linked service before relying on it.
Police Care UK
Free and confidential support for serving and veteran police officers, staff, volunteers and families harmed through policing.
Visit Police Care UK →NARPO Welfare Hub
Guidance for former police officers and families on mental health, bereavement, physical health, social care and financial matters.
Visit the Welfare Hub →Samaritans
Confidential listening without judgement, at any time of day or night. You do not need to be suicidal to call.
Call 116 123 →Shout
Free, confidential UK text support for anxiety, depression, loneliness, suicidal thoughts or feeling overwhelmed.
Text SHOUT →Cruse Bereavement Support
Trained volunteers provide support and information following all types of bereavement.
Visit Cruse →Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide
Peer-led support for UK adults affected by suicide loss, including groups, telephone support and an online community.
Visit SoBS →The Silver Line
A free, confidential helpline for older people who feel lonely, isolated or would value a friendly conversation.
Call The Silver Line →Care of Police Survivors
Support for families of police officers and staff who have lost their lives on duty, including peer connection with other survivors.
Visit COPS →NHS mental health services
Find local services, urgent help and routes into NHS treatment. Your GP can also assess symptoms and make referrals.
Visit NHS mental health services →Looking out for one another
Worried about a former colleague?
A direct and calm conversation can make it easier for somebody to say what is really happening.
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Choose a private moment.
Explain what you have noticed without criticism: “You have stopped answering calls and I am concerned about you.”
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Listen more than you speak.
Do not minimise, compare experiences or rush to solve everything. Acknowledge the pain and stay present.
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Ask about immediate safety.
If they have a plan, means or intention to act, stay with them and call 999.
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Make the contact together.
Sit with them while they call Samaritans, NHS 111, their GP or a specialist service.
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Follow up at a fixed time.
Agree the next call or visit before you leave. Keep checking in after the immediate crisis.
Community after service
Reconnect with people who understand
NARBTPO is not a crisis or clinical service. It can, however, help former BTP colleagues maintain friendships, find old pals and stay connected to the wider retired BTP community.