LGBTQ+ over-50s in London: social groups, befriending and later-life housing

How this guide was put together

This guide lists social groups, befriending and housing for LGBTQ+ people over 50 in London. It is for older Londoners themselves, and for younger friends, partners and relatives looking for something to suggest. It is a signpost, not care or legal advice, and it is not a complete list.

Every time and venue below was read from the group's own page on 27 October 2026. Where a page gave no day, time or venue, we say so rather than guess. A good starting map is the Older LGBTQ+ Londoner's guide, a booklet put together by the Older LGBTQ+ Londoners Roundtable hosted by LGBT Consortium. It lists more than a dozen groups, but it says its information was accurate as of summer 2025. We have used it only to find groups, and then checked each group's own site; where we could not confirm a group from its own page, we say so.

Directories also go out of date in a bigger way. Opening Doors, which ran many of London's older LGBTQ+ groups, says on its site that it closed permanently on 29 February 2024 after financial problems led to insolvency. Some of its work was taken on by others: the London LGBTQ+ Community Centre says four over-50s groups that formed from Opening Doors now meet there, and Re-engage says it welcomed people from Opening Doors' befriending services.

Central and north London

London Friend, the LGBTQ+ charity at 86 Caledonian Road, N1, near King's Cross, runs an LGBTQ+ Over 50s Social for older LGBTQ+ people. Its calendar lists it from 11:30am to 1:30pm, but the entries did not state the venue, so ask the charity before you go; its contact details are on the site. The same building hosts a drop-in café for all LGBT people and all ages from 11am to 1pm, which needs no sign-up, as well as a creative writing group and gender-specific socials. Age UK Barnet's LGBTQ+ page also points older people in north London to London Friend.

The Lesbian Discussion Group, founded in 1981, meets at 66 Marchmont Street, WC1, in Bloomsbury. Its site says the Older Lesbian Discussion Group meets on the last Wednesday of every month, arriving at 7:15pm for a 7:30pm start; the main group meets on the other Wednesdays at 7:45pm for 8pm. No registration is needed, and places are first come, first served, so arrive early. The sessions are hosted at Gay's The Word bookshop, and the site asks you to arrive 15 minutes before the start.

The London LGBTQ+ Community Centre at 60 to 62 Hopton Street, SE1, near Blackfriars, began as a pop-up response to loneliness during lockdown and is now a permanent space with a café. Its listed opening hours are Wednesday 11am to 6pm, Thursday to Saturday noon to 8pm and Sunday 1pm to 8pm; Monday and Tuesday are kept for community bookings. Its regular groups page says four over-50s groups that formed from Opening Doors take place there: a 50+ Friday Social, Bi the Way for bisexual and pansexual people over 50, Melanin Vybz for Black people and people of colour over 50, and a 50+ Trans and Non-Binary Social. Its events listings describe Melanin Vybz as a progressive social meetup group for 50+ Black LGBTQ+ elders. The regular groups page gives no times and says it may not always be up to date, so check the events listings or Eventbrite before going.

• London FriendLGBTQ+ charity

  86 Caledonian Road, N1 · Nearest: King's Cross St Pancras

  LGBTQ+ Over 50s Social, 11:30am to 1:30pm on calendar dates (venue not stated); drop-in café 11am to 1pm.

• London LGBTQ+ Community CentreCommunity centre and café

  60-62 Hopton Street, SE1 · Nearest: Blackfriars

  Open Wednesday 11am to 6pm, Thursday to Saturday noon to 8pm, Sunday 1pm to 8pm; over-50s groups including a 50+ Friday Social, Bi the Way, Melanin Vybz and a 50+ Trans and Non-Binary Social.

• Lesbian Discussion GroupCommunity discussion group

  66 Marchmont Street, WC1 · Nearest: Russell Square

  Older Lesbian Discussion Group on the last Wednesday of the month, arrive 7:15pm for 7:30pm; no registration, first come first served.

South and east London

The Furzedown Project in Tooting runs an LGBTQ+ group for over-50s. Its page says it meets every Thursday morning from 10am to noon at 91 to 93 Moyser Road, SW16, and is for anyone over 50 who identifies as LGBTQ+ and lives in Wandsworth or a neighbouring borough. Furzedown calls it the 50+ LGBT Coffee Morning, says it has run weekly since 2017 with guest speakers, and charges £3 a session, or £5 when speaker-led; transport is not provided. Its contact details are on its page.

Age UK Barnet's LGBTQ+ resource page lists the Age Well LGBTQ+ Club as a welcoming weekly group for over-50s who live in Battersea and Wandsworth. It gave no day or time, and the club's own directory listing could not be read, so contact it through LGBT Consortium's directory or Age UK before going.

East London LGBT Seniors describes itself as a group for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer people of more or less retirement age, and their partners, with younger volunteer supporters also welcome. It covers East London and nearby boroughs, and places with easy transport to Stratford. Its home page says meetings happen every week but gives the details on its calendar, and it sends a monthly newsletter.

elop, the East London Out Project, is an LGBT mental health and wellbeing charity that says it has supported London's LGBTQ+ communities since 1995. The 2025 booklet lists an elop over-50s meetup on Tuesday afternoons at Toynbee Hall; elop's own home page did not mention it, so ask elop directly.

• The Furzedown ProjectCommunity centre, LGBTQ+ 50+ group

  91-93 Moyser Road, SW16

  Every Thursday 10am to noon, for LGBTQ+ people over 50 from Wandsworth and neighbouring boroughs; £3 a session, £5 when speaker-led.

• East London LGBT SeniorsVolunteer run group

  East London, around Stratford

  Weekly meetings for LGBTQ+ people of about retirement age and their partners; dates on its calendar and monthly newsletter.

Online groups and phone befriending

For people who cannot easily travel, or who want to try a group from home first, LGBT HERO, a national LGBTQ+ health charity, runs a 50+ HangOut on Zoom on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month from 6pm to 7:30pm. Its page says to book a ticket through Eventbrite and to arrive about five minutes early, because the Zoom room closes at 6:10pm. LGBT HERO also lists a walking group in south-west London among its HangOuts.

Gendered Intelligence lists an online Over 50s Transfem Group, a support group for trans women and transfeminine people over 50. Its services page did not give dates, so contact the charity through its site.

Re-engage, a charity tackling loneliness among older people, runs Rainbow Call Companions, which its page describes as a free telephone befriending service specifically for LGBT+ people aged 75 and over. A volunteer phones every week or two, the same person each time, for about half an hour. It is aimed at people who feel lonely or cut off, or would simply like regular company. Re-engage's page lists contact details and a form for enquiries.

• LGBT HERO 50+ HangOutOnline social group

  Online (Zoom)

  Second and fourth Tuesday of each month, 6pm to 7:30pm; book through Eventbrite; the room closes at 6:10pm.

• Rainbow Call Companions (Re-engage)Phone befriending

  UK-wide, by phone

  Free calls every week or two from the same volunteer, about half an hour each, for LGBT+ people aged 75 and over.

Housing and later life: Tonic

Tonic Housing Association is a charitable community benefit society and a non-profit registered provider of social housing. A news item on its site from July 2025 says Tonic became the UK's first LGBTQ+ registered housing association. Its address is Bankhouse, 20 Albert Embankment, SE1, and its site invites people interested in an LGBTQ+ affirming retirement community, Tonic@Bankhouse, to register their interest. The 2025 booklet says Tonic@Bankhouse runs a weekly bar for residents and their guests on Thursday evenings and events open to all older LGBTQ+ people; Tonic's own home page did not list upcoming events, so contact it to ask.

Tonic also published Precarious Lives 2025, which it describes as a study exploring financial and material hardship among older LGBTQ+ people. If you are worried about how you will be treated in care or housing, GOV.UK lists age, sexual orientation and gender reassignment among the protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010, which covers public services and renting property.

• Tonic HousingLGBTQ+ housing association

  Bankhouse, 20 Albert Embankment, SE1 · Nearest: Vauxhall

  Says it became the UK's first LGBTQ+ registered housing association in July 2025; register interest in Tonic@Bankhouse through its site.

Meeting people, and dating, after 50

Most of these groups are social, not dating events. If you want something built around an activity, our guides to LGBTQ+ book clubs, sports clubs and social groups, and inclusive faith groups list more regular places to meet people, many of them in the daytime.

If you are coming out after 50, our guide to coming out later in life covers the groups and counselling for that, and the practical steps if you are married. On a first date with someone new, the usual sense applies: meet in public, tell a friend, and plan your own way home; our first-date safety checklist goes through it.

If you need support rather than company, Galop's helpline for LGBTQ+ people aged 18 and over who are experiencing abuse is 0800 999 5428, listed as Monday and Tuesday 9:15am to 8pm and Wednesday to Friday 9:15am to 4:30pm, closed at weekends and from 1pm to 2pm every day, and closing at 3:30pm on the first Thursday of each month. In an emergency, call 999.

Before you go

• Check the group's own page or calendar for the current month; older directories, including the 2025 booklet, go out of date.
• Ask London Friend where its over-50s social is meeting, because its calendar did not give a venue.
• Check the London LGBTQ+ Community Centre's events listings or Eventbrite for current dates of its over-50s groups.
• For LGBT HERO's Zoom hangout, book on Eventbrite and join before 6:10pm.
• Do not rely on Opening Doors listings; the charity closed in February 2024.

Questions people ask

Is Opening Doors still running?

No. Opening Doors says on its site that it closed permanently on 29 February 2024 after financial problems led to insolvency. Some groups it ran have moved elsewhere, so check current organisers such as London Friend and the London LGBTQ+ Community Centre.

Are there LGBTQ+ over-50s groups in south London?

Yes. The Furzedown Project in SW16 lists a group every Thursday from 10am to noon for LGBTQ+ people over 50 in Wandsworth or a neighbouring borough. Age UK Barnet lists the Age Well LGBTQ+ Club, a weekly over-50s group for Battersea and Wandsworth residents.

Is there anything for older LGBTQ+ people who can't get out?

LGBT HERO runs a 50+ HangOut on Zoom on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month, 6pm to 7:30pm. Re-engage's Rainbow Call Companions offers free phone calls every week or two from the same volunteer for LGBT+ people aged 75 and over.

Is there LGBTQ+ retirement housing in London?

Tonic Housing says it became the UK's first LGBTQ+ registered housing association in July 2025. Its Tonic@Bankhouse community is at 20 Albert Embankment, SE1, and you can register interest through its site.