What support services does Action for ME offer for people with ME/CFS?

Updated

Action for ME is a UK charity that provides care and support for everyone affected by ME/CFS, while also pursuing change through research and campaigning. Its support offering covers free support services, healthcare-related services, practical guidance on living with ME, and dedicated resources for children and young people, as well as for carers, family, and friends.

Free support and healthcare services

The charity lists two main service categories under "Supporting you":

  • Our free Support Services – support available at no cost to people affected by ME.
  • Our Healthcare Services – services connected to health and care needs.

Both sit alongside the charity's wider work in research and campaigning, which it describes as securing future change for people affected by ME.

Living with ME: practical guidance

A large part of the support is informational, organised around day-to-day management of the condition. Topics covered include:

  • What is ME? – background on the condition itself.
  • Pacing and energy management – how to manage limited energy.
  • Managing symptoms – approaches to symptom control.
  • Accessing health and social care – navigating the health and care system.
  • Work and welfare – guidance on employment and benefits.
  • Carers, family, and friends – material aimed at the people around someone with ME.

There is also a ME Friends Online forum, described as a friendly space to get connected to others.

Support for children and young people (18 and under)

The "18 and under" section is a distinct area of the site with its own resources:

  • You and ME – an introduction for younger people.
  • How we can help – the support available to this age group.
  • Symptoms and energy – understanding and managing symptoms.
  • Friends and relationships – social aspects of living with ME.
  • Free counselling for young people with ME – counselling offered at no cost.
  • Family Support – support for families.
  • Your education – covering going to school, leaving school at 16, and considering university.
  • Your health – including support from your doctor, sleeping and resting well, and eating well.
  • Useful contacts – further sources of help.

There is also a Young People's Community and free online events for younger people.

Resources for carers, family, and friends

Carers, family, and friends are treated as a group with their own support needs, with a dedicated section in the main "Supporting you" navigation. This sits alongside the family support material in the young people's area.

How to access and stay connected

  • Newsletter – a quarterly newsletter, "Keep me updated", is available by subscribing.
  • Membership – joining as a member includes the InterAction magazine.
  • Online forum – the ME Friends Online forum is open for connection with others.
  • Severe ME/CFS guide – a resource titled Severe ME/CFS: A Guide to Living is listed among the materials.

The site also provides routes to get in touch, and the charity notes that with support it can be there for even more people affected by ME.