If you’re worried about loneliness in an elderly London relative, there’s more free help than many families realise. Start with a free helpline such as The Silver Line (0800 4 70 80 90, 24 hours), ask the GP about social prescribing, and contact your relative’s borough council for local lunch clubs, day centres and befriending schemes.
Below is where to look, borough by borough, plus options if your relative needs more regular company.
At a glance
- The Silver Line Helpline: 0800 4 70 80 90, free, 24 hours a day (Age UK).
- Age UK Advice Line: 0800 678 1602, 8am to 7pm every day, can signpost local services.
- Every London borough and the City of London runs its own adult social care service, which can assess needs and point to local groups.
- GP practices can refer to social prescribing link workers, who connect people with local activities.
- Paid companionship care in London typically costs £28–£35 an hour (2026).
Signs an older relative may be lonely
- They talk about having no one to see, or days passing without a conversation.
- They’ve stopped going out, or dropped hobbies and groups.
- They call family much more often, or much less.
- They seem low, withdrawn, or aren’t looking after themselves.
Loneliness can overlap with low mood. If you’re worried, encourage a GP appointment. See our guide to supporting an older person with depression.
Free support available across London
Helplines and telephone friendship
- The Silver Line Helpline: 0800 4 70 80 90, free and open 24 hours, 365 days a year.
- Age UK Telephone Friendship Service: free weekly calls from a volunteer.
- Age UK Advice Line: 0800 678 1602, 8am to 7pm, 365 days a year. It can help find local Age UK services and groups (Age UK, September 2026).
Social prescribing through the GP
Ask your relative’s GP practice about social prescribing. A link worker can spend time finding out what matters to your relative and connect them with local groups, clubs and volunteering.
Getting out and about
The Freedom Pass, run by London Councils, gives older Londoners free travel on most public transport in the capital once they reach State Pension age. Apply through the Freedom Pass website (freedompass.org), or call the Freedom Pass team on 0300 330 1433 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).
Lunch clubs, day centres and community groups
Lunch clubs, day centres, libraries, faith groups and community centres run activities for older people across London. What’s available changes often, so the best sources are your relative’s borough council, the local Age UK, and the GP practice.
Want help finding the right support for a lonely parent? Download our care needs checklist. Get a free care quote →
Finding support by borough
London has 32 boroughs plus the City of London, and each runs its own adult social care department. Health services are organised through four NHS integrated care boards (ICBs). Since April 2026, the north west and north central London boroughs have shared one board, NHS West and North London. Use the table to see which area your relative’s borough sits in, then contact the borough’s adult social care team to ask about local lunch clubs, day centres, befriending and community directories.
| NHS area (ICB) | Boroughs |
|---|---|
| West and North London (north west boroughs) | Brent, Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster |
| West and North London (north central boroughs) | Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey, Islington |
| North East London | Barking and Dagenham, City of London, Hackney, Havering, Newham, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest |
| South East London | Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham, Southwark |
| South West London | Croydon, Kingston upon Thames, Merton, Richmond upon Thames, Sutton, Wandsworth |
Our guide to London borough adult social care explains how to contact each council and request an assessment.
What to ask the council
- What lunch clubs, day centres and social groups run near my relative?
- Is there a befriending scheme, and is there a waiting list?
- Is there a community transport service to get to groups?
- Can my relative have a Care Act needs assessment?
The council must assess anyone who appears to need care, whatever their finances. Eligibility outcomes include maintaining relationships and using community facilities, so isolation linked to an illness or disability can be part of an eligible need.
When your relative needs more than a weekly call
Befriending is valuable, but it’s usually weekly at most and can involve a wait. If your relative needs company more often, help to get out, or support with shopping and appointments, paid companionship care may help.
As of 2026, companionship care through a London agency typically costs £28–£35 an hour. Sources vary, so always get a written quote. Attendance Allowance (£76.70 or £114.60 a week in 2026/27) isn’t means-tested and can be spent on a companion (DWP).
See our companionship care guide, our companionship care cost guide, and how companionship care compares with befriending.
Frequently asked questions
Where can a lonely older person in London get support?
Start with The Silver Line Helpline (0800 4 70 80 90, free, 24 hours) or the Age UK Advice Line (0800 678 1602). Then contact your relative’s borough council and GP practice, which can point to local lunch clubs, day centres, befriending and social prescribing.
Are there lunch clubs for older people in London?
Yes. Lunch clubs run across London through councils, charities, faith groups and community centres. What’s available changes often, so ask your relative’s borough council, local Age UK or GP social prescribing link worker for current clubs near them.
What is social prescribing?
Social prescribing is when a GP practice connects someone with non-medical support in the community, such as groups, clubs, volunteering or advice. A link worker usually meets the person to find out what matters to them and helps them get started.
Is there free befriending for elderly people in London?
Yes. Age UK offers a free Telephone Friendship Service with weekly volunteer calls, and many local charities run phone or visiting befriending schemes. Waiting lists and eligibility vary. Your borough council or the Age UK Advice Line can help you find local schemes.
Sources
- Age UK: Advice Line, Silver Line and Telephone Friendship Service
- SCIE: Care Act eligibility
- DWP: benefit and pension rates 2026 to 2027
- Greater London Authority: London boroughs
- Match with Care: companion care costs (2026)
- Birdie: average private home care rates in the UK (April 2026)
- London Councils: older person’s Freedom Pass eligibility
- NHS England: social prescribing
If loneliness is affecting someone you love, you don't have to solve it alone. Download our care needs checklist. Get a free care quote →
This guide is general information, not financial, legal or medical advice. Last reviewed September 2026.
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Reviewed by The Care Panel team on 24 September 2026. This guide is general information about care in England, not legal, medical or financial advice. Rules and rates change; check with your council or an adviser before making decisions.