MS Helpline

Our MS Helpline gives emotional support and information to anyone living with MS. We’re here Monday to Friday, 9am to 7pm except bank holidays. Freephone: 0808 800 800 - it’s free to call from landlines and mobiles within the UK, it’s confidential and won’t show on your phone bill.

Direct private messages can be sent on Facebook messenger between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday and our confidential email service is: helpline@mssociety.org.uk

We have Language Line translation services in over 170 languages including BSL. 

Also available via the MS Helpline:

MS Nurses

Our MS Nurses can give you medical information on things like treatment options, side-effects of medication, and managing symptoms. They can give you information, support and talk to you about how to get help. But they can't give advice about your specific condition.

Helpline Benefits Advisor

Our MS Benefits Advice Service offers free advice to people affected by MS in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

You can get in touch with one of our MS benefits advisers by calling 0808 800 8000 or emailing msbenefitsadvice@dls.org.uk

Disability Law Service

We work with the Disability Law Service (DLS) and the Legal Services Agency (LSA) to provide free, confidential legal advice to people affected by MS.

In England and Wales you can get advice on these areas of law:

• employment
• disability discrimination
• community care

The MS Legal Officer cannot offer advice about criminal or family law. 

To get this legal advice, email our MS Helpline or call us on 0808 800 8000 and find out more.

Moving More with MS Service

Our MS Helpline can talk to you about a mix of approaches to help you manage your MS better.

No matter where you live in the UK, we can

• provide information on staying active, and tell you where you can go for help
• give you general information on nutrition and stopping smoking, including signposting you to specialist services
• help you find things to do in your local area that are easy for you to get to and use.

We also have a range of online exercise videos and information for people with varying levels of mobility, including our ‘MS Active Together’ series, which includes symptom specific exercise videos to help manage different symptoms like balance and fatigue.

MS Short Breaks Service

The MS Short Breaks Service is for people who are thinking about taking a break and who need some help to arrange it. It is available to everyone affected by MS in the UK. We can help you to plan a break in the UK or abroad, or look for respite care in a residential care home setting. There’s lots more Short Breaks information online, or contact the MS Helpline to speak to our Short Breaks Information Officer.

You may also be interested in:

Information Resources

Publications detailing information about MS symptoms, treatments and practical issues, as well as information for carers, young people and MS professionals.  Download or order your free information resources here.

MS and Coronavirus – commonly asked questions

We’re working closely with our medical advisers and the Association of British Neurologists (ABN) to keep our MS and coronavirus care and support information updated.

Online MS Fatigue Management Course

Based on the FACETS* course and developed with people from the MS community.  Made up of 6 accessible sessions that should take around 20 minutes each. The course contains informative animations and graphics that complement the learning experience. Session topics include, ‘What is MS Fatigue’, ‘Energy Levels’, ‘Budgeting Energy’, ‘Stress and MS Fatigue’, ‘Putting unhelpful thoughts on trial’ and ‘Moving Forward’.

 (*FACETS: Applying Cognitive behavioural and Energy effectiveness Techniques to lifestyle)

National support groups

We work closely with several national support groups:

• Asian MS
• Mutual Support(Armed Forces)
• Shane Project(Black/Ethnic minority (BME))
• JEMS(Jewish)

Online community

You're only a click away from joining a whole community of people who understand life with MS. You can read community blogs on everything from poetry to CBT, dating and the MS hug. Or join our MS Forum to chat with other people with MS about symptoms, treatments, or everyday life.

Interactive Information Webinars

Our monthly webinars are your place to get the information you need, and ask the questions that matter to you. They’re presented by an expert speaker alongside someone who has lived experience of MS. These themed webinars have covered topics like Covid-19, exercise and mental health, cognition and MS and there’s lots more to come.

Upcoming information webinars available to book on to:

Bladder and Bowel webinar, Thursday 7 December 2023, 6:30pm

In this webinar we'll be joined by an expert speaker as we discuss issues that you can have with your bladder and bowel when living with MS

What's Next? Newly diagnosed webinar, Wednesday 6 December 2023, 6:30pm

Have you recently been told you have MS? You're not alone. Come join us for this webinar to find out the information that matters to you.

Living Well in 2024 - Events in 2024

We've lots on offer throughout 2024 with our programme of webinars, courses and virtual get-togethers. Some are specifically for people living with MS. Others are for their family, friends and anyone affected by MS.

Wellbeing sessions – small group sessions online

Living with MS comes with its ups and downs. Join us once a week for four weeks to share your experiences, learn new skills and connect with others living with MS across the UK. We regularly run three different types of virtual Wellbeing session for:

• ‘Newly Diagnosed’ for people who have been diagnosed with MS in the last 5 years
• ‘Changing symptoms’ for people who are living with MS and may be experiencing changing symptoms
• ‘Time to Chat’ – for family and friends who have a loved one with MS.

Each week for four weeks, you’ll log in to a 1.5 hour online session to meet a small group of people from across the UK. These are fairly informal and each week will have a different topic. Working flexibly and with participants, we tailor each session to meet the needs of the specific group of people taking part, and the sessions work best if you are able to attend all four. After each session people will be able to stay in touch with the group online. 

To participate you’ll need:

• A laptop, tablet, smart phone or computer with inbuilt, or access to a, microphone and camera. That's so we can see and hear each other in the meetings!
• A stable internet connection for the video meeting software we use.

You can find out more about our Wellbeing Sessions and our Information Webinars, including details of dates and how to book, via our virtual support events webpage.

And if you’re not sure what’s right for you, then please get in touch with our virtual wellbeing team on selfmanagement@mssociety.org.uk

For you

This is your personal space on our website where you choose what you see and when you see it. It only takes a few minutes to sign up. You can:

• Create your own page on our website
• Control what you see. News, tips, stories, latest research, ways to manage MS – the choice is yours
• Bookmark pages on our website you find useful. And find them on your webpage when you need them next
• Connect with your local group and join the conversation on our forum
• Get all our best content through your letterbox by subscribing to MS Matters magazine.

To get started, create your new ‘For you’ account online here