Friendship
Over 60s Friendship: find good company close to home
Company for walks, a theatre trip, Sunday lunch or a long phone call. Friendship has always been half of what Single 60s is for.
Can you use Single 60s just to make friends?
Yes. When you join, you say what kind of relationship you are looking for, and friendship is one of the choices. The site takes that into account when it suggests people to you, so you are more likely to be shown members who want the same. The very first version of this site, in 2010, called itself "the friendship and dating site for the over 60s", and that order was deliberate.
Making friends in later life can be harder than it sounds. Retirement takes away the daily company of work, children have moved on, and friends move away or pass on. The Office for National Statistics counted 8.6 million people living alone in the UK in 2025, and almost half of them (49.6%) were aged 65 or over. A message to someone nearby who also likes gardening or old films is a small, low-pressure way to change that.
How to make it clear you want friendship
- Choose friendship as what you are looking for when you set up your profile.
- Say it in your own words in the first line: "Widowed, happy, and looking for good company for walks and the odd concert."
- Add your interests. The choices include cruises, DIY, documentaries, handicrafts, long conversations, volunteering, and meditation and mindfulness. They give people something easy to write about.
- Be specific about what a meet-up looks like. Coffee after the farmers' market sounds friendly; "drinks one evening" can read as a date.
Friendship can turn into something more, and sometimes it does. That is up to the two of you. If you start as friends and want to change what your profile says later, you can.
Making new friends safely
The same sensible habits apply as for dating. Keep early conversations on the site, meet somewhere public the first time, tell someone where you are going, and never send money to someone you have only met online, however warm the friendship feels. Scammers do sometimes pose as friends rather than suitors. Our safety page sets out what the site does and what you can do.
Good first meet-ups with a new friend
Pick something where talking is easy and leaving early is not awkward: a garden visit, a museum or gallery, a walk with a café at the end, a matinee, a local history talk. Our first date ideas for over 60s work just as well for friendship, and where singles over 60 meet lists clubs and groups you might join together.
If you would like to see who is near you first, finding people over 60 near you explains the distance settings. And if you are deciding between this and a dedicated friendship app, our guide to sites for the over 60s covers the options honestly.
What people ask about making friends here
Is Single 60s free for friendship?
Yes. A free account covers a profile, browsing, daily suggestions and a few messages a day, whatever you are looking for.
Will people assume I want romance?
Not if your profile says friendship. Most members read that first, and the site uses it when suggesting people.
Can I meet friends in a group?
VIP members can create private group chats with up to 50 people, which some members use to arrange walks or outings together.