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Help for alcohol and drug use

There’s help available in York at whatever level you might need it, whether that be with your own drinking or drug use or because you are affected by someone else’s substance use.

Click on the relevant section below to find out more today.

SUPPORT SERVICES

York Health Trainers

The York Council Health Trainers are a City of York Council service offering free, confidential one to one support and guidance to help you make the changes you want to see in relation to reducing alcohol, healthy eating, quitting smoking and getting more active.

For more details, see: CYC Health Trainers – City of York Council or request an appointment.

 

New Ways

The New Ways team is on hand to support you if you are concerned about how much alcohol you’re drinking and want support to make changes but don’t need treatment for physical dependence to alcohol. You can access up to 10 support sessions close to your home / work or online to help you make the changes you want to see. New Ways is funded by City of York Council.

To find out more or request an appointment, get in touch via the online form or contact the New Ways team:

 

York Drug and Alcohol Service

York Drug and Alcohol Service is run by specialists from Change Grow Live (CGL) and Emerging Futures and funded by City of York Council. They provide support for people who are drinking alcohol at possibly dependent levels or using other substances. Support is free and confidential, and the range of support includes:

  • Clinical staff and recovery co-ordinators provide support tailored to individual needs and goals, including detox
  • ASPIRE: 12 week abstinence-based day rehabilitation programme at Bowes Morrell House, Walmgate (Mon-Fri)
  • Connections with peer support and community groups / activities to support ongoing recovery

To find out more or request an appointment, get in touch via the online form or contact the team:

 

Rehab

In York, you can join ASPIRE, York’s community rehab, which is part of York Drug and Alcohol Service and offers 12 weeks of intensive support to address substance use and the issues underlying it. You attend during the day Monday-Friday but you leave for evenings and weekends and sleep in your own bed.

Find out more about ASPIRE here, or contact the ASPIRE team: 

A residential rehab offers the same type of intensive support to address substance use and often the issues underlying it while you live in a residential facility away from York which is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can find out more about residential rehab at Live Well York | Residential Rehab for Substance Use Disorders.

 

*Medical warning*

Please note that it can be very dangerous to stop drinking too quickly without proper help if you are clinically dependent on alcohol. If you have physical withdrawal symptoms (like shaking, sweating or feeling anxious until you have a drink), you should seek medical advice. There are doctors and nurses at York Drug and Alcohol Service ready to help you to reduce safely.

 

PEER SUPPORT

As well as formal treatment and recovery services funded by City of York Council, many people find local support groups very helpful. Please see the ‘Peer support / community groups’ section for information about these.

Mutual Aid

There are a wide range of mutual aid groups running in York. York Drug and Alcohol Service can give you more information, or see:

 

York in Recovery

Pop-up recovery cafes

York in Recovery run pop-up recovery cafes which are warm, friendly spaces to come and find out what’s happening for those in recovery around York. If you're looking for support, affected by addiction or want to support recovery, you're welcome to drop in. Whether you stopped drinking 10 years ago, 2 weeks ago, or you're still drinking and want to come and meet people and scope out what it’s all about, you're very welcome. Call in and have a chat:

Just turn up! Or for more details, call Mark from York in Recovery - 07724 312084 or email info@yorkinrecovery.org.uk.

Nourish and Nurture cooking group

Join us and learn some basic kitchen skills, hygiene and how to cook on a budget. Each week we'll prepare a fresh home-cooked meal for you to enjoy. We'll have some conversations, good connections and lots of fun cooking. Wednesdays 3-5pm close to the city centre. Contact Dan on 07739814850 for venue details.

York in Recovery are experts in lived experience of substance use disorders and offer a safe space, fun activities, and companionship for members of the York community who are either in recovery or who may not be in recovery but have an interest. We’re a judgement free zone, we’ve all walked in each other’s shoes, so if you’re considering starting your path to recovery, or if you’ve been in recovery for some time and are looking for a bunch of like-minded people to hang out with – come along! Find out more at the York in Recovery website. 

 

Insights pop-up café

Lived Insights run a pop-up café where you can talk to others about your experiences around things like housing, cost of living, community, substance use and health matters in a relaxed space with free food and hot drinks.

Come along and have a chat: Mondays, 1-3pm at St Deny's Church Hall, Walmgate, YO1 9QD

 

KEYS Recovery Group

The KEYS Recovery Group is a Christian faith-based recovery group meeting on Mondays, 7.30-9pm at St Thomas’s Church, Lowther St, YO31 7ND.

Wanting to be free from drug and alcohol addiction and know you can’t do it alone? This group draws on the Bible, the 12 steps of recovery and faith in a God who loves us.

Register to join the group at: https://thekeysproject.org/locations/york

Or you can contact the team for more information on 07522821158 or york@thekeysproject.org.

Fresh Steps

Fresh Steps offers Individual Placement and Support (IPS) to help people with addictions who want to find and sustain work. This City of York Council service is available to anyone having treatment with York Drug and Alcohol Service, whether with a recovery co-ordinator or the ASPIRE rehab programme; if you have the desire to work or retain your employment, you are eligible.

For more information, please see https://yorklearning.org.uk/fresh-steps/ or contact the team:

 

Chocolate & Co.

Chocolate and Co provides employment and training opportunities to overcome barriers to employment for people who are struggling with an addiction and/or have a criminal record.

To find out more or refer yourself see here or contact the team:

The lovely Chocolate & Co. café on Lowther St is also a wonderful place for everyone to visit; find the opening times and menu at www.chocolateandco.org/visit-us.

 

Coterminous Yorkshire Employability and Enterprise Programme

Coterminous provide peer led employment advice and practical assistance, primarily for people with a criminal record or managing substance addiction or at risk of homelessness. Their wealth of experience can help you to tidy up your CV, talk you through the application process, prepare for job interviews, and even look at options to be your own boss.

To find out more see here, or to refer yourself contact CJ:

The Gate York

The Gate York offers a range of support for children and young people up to 25 years affected by someone else’s substance use (they also work with young people around their own substance use). To find out more or request an appointment, get in touch via the online form or contact the team:

 

York Carers Centre

York Carers Centre run support groups for anyone who is affected by a family member or friend’s drinking, drug use or gambling in York. 

 

Al-Anon

Al-Anon Family Groups are for anyone whose life is, or has been, affected by someone else's drinking. There are groups meeting in York face-to-face and online.

 

Nacoa

Nacoa - national charity offering free, confidential information, advice and support to everyone affected by their parent's drinking, including a free and confidential phone helpline. They also have information and advice for grandparents: helping grandchildren affected by their parent's drinking.

The Gate York

The Gate York offers a range of support for children and young people up to 25 years affected by their own or someone else’s substance use. Their aim is to provide young people with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to identify and appropriately respond to risks associated with substance use.

To find out more or request an appointment, get in touch via the online form or contact the team:

The RaiseYork website has lots of information for young people, including on alcohol, drugs, smoking, vaping and gambling.

If you work or volunteer in York and want to feel better equipped to have conversations about alcohol with patients, customers, clients or team members, you may be interested in City of York Council’s Brief Conversations about Alcohol training. It’s free of charge for anyone working with York residents and packed with information and skills that you will find useful in all sorts of contexts.

The Drink Drug Hub website also has information and advice on alcohol and other drugs, as well as a range of free training sessions for people living or working in North Yorkshire.  The Drink Drug Hub website is funded by North Yorkshire Council.

 

This page is maintained by City of York Council Public Health Team. 

Last updated: 25/04/2025
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