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Charities for older people in the UK

There are 7,973 registered charities in England and Wales working on older people. 5,731 of them (72%) are small, with an income under £100,000 a year.

Updated from the Charity Commission register.

Charities for older people visit people at home, run lunch clubs and day centres, give lifts to appointments, and provide homes in almshouses. A lot of the work is about friendship, making sure nobody goes a week without someone to talk to.

If you'd like to help older people near you, a small local charity is often the best place to start. Many would be glad of your time as much as your money, and the friendships made there can last for years.

Find the charities for older people that fit you

Answer a few short questions and we'll pick the few that really fit what matters to you, with the reasons why. It takes a couple of minutes, and we never ask for any contact details.

Get my personal shortlist

Friendship and loneliness

504 of these charities say this is part of their work. Here are a few of them.

  1. Age UK Westminster

    W10 · Income £100k to £1m

    Age uk westminster is a part of a network of some 300 age concern and age uk organisations and it is an autonomous and independently funded organisation, offering direct services to older people in the london borough of…

    Their website Charity Commission record

  2. Age UK Dorchester Ltd

    DT1 · Income £100k to £1m

    The core purpose of Age UK Dorchester is to support older people to live in their own homes for as long as they want and ensure that the voices of older people in North, South and West Dorset are collectively and…

    Their website Charity Commission record

  3. Age UK North Craven

    BD24 · Income £100k to £1m

    A wide range of older people's services aimed at improving later life and enabling them to remain independent in their own homes.Transport (minibus journeys and volunteer car driver sceme)Information and…

    Their website Charity Commission record

  4. Age UK South Gloucestershire Ltd

    BS35 · Income £100k to £1m

    Information and Advice (including specialist benefits advice and advice for people affected by dementia), Befriending, Day Care Services and a variety of volunteering opportunities.

    Their website Charity Commission record

Day centres and help at home

419 of these charities say this is part of their work. Here are a few of them.

  1. Richmond Hill Elderly Action Limited

    LS9 · Income £100k to £1m

    To develop services and activities which improve the quality of life for older people, living in Richmond Hill and the surrounding areas, who have a particular and identifiable need. Activities include: Home visits,…

    Their website Charity Commission record

  2. Age Concern Voluntary Association for the Elderly Merstham, Redhill and Reigate

    RH1 · Income £100k to £1m

    Provide a range of services for older people, including a day centre 4 x weekly, men's shed, befriending service, social outings, alliance with Citizens Advice Service, access to legal advice, seated exercise and hair…

    Their website Charity Commission record

  3. Ecr Foundation

    TN34 · Small charity, income under £100k

    Provides Day Care Service for the elderly in Hastings and Rye.Operates a Food Pantry in Hastings to support people in food poverty.Provides English lessons to refugees in Hasting and Bexhill.Supports digital inclusion…

    Their website Charity Commission record

  4. The Orchard

    KT15 · Small charity, income under £100k

    The grounds are open to the General public and the buildings are used as a day centre for the provision of advice and support for older people

    Charity Commission record

Almshouses and housing

651 of these charities say this is part of their work. Here are a few of them.

  1. The Abbeyfield Whitehaven Society Limited

    CA28 · Income £100k to £1m

    Provides Sheltered Housing for older people

    Charity Commission record

  2. Peter Birtwistle Trust

    BB8 · Income £100k to £1m

    The Peter Birtwistle Trust provides supported housing to older people in Colne, Lancashire. The charity is a member of the Almshouse Association and a Registered Provider of Social Housing. Applicants for accommodation…

    Their website Charity Commission record

  3. The Abbeyfield Deptford Society Limited

    SE4 · Income £100k to £1m

    We provide very sheltered accommodation and meals provided by a live in housekeeper for single lonely or homeless older people.

    Their website Charity Commission record

  4. Pembridge Almshouses Charity

    HR6 · Small charity, income under £100k

    The provision of housing for older people in need who reside in the parish of Pembridge or adjacent parishes. For the public benefit of persons in need who live in the parish of Pembridge at the discretion of the…

    Charity Commission record

Staying active and well

334 of these charities say this is part of their work. Here are a few of them.

  1. South Mountain Chinese Older People's Association

    NE1 · Income under £10k

    Activities provided by South Mountain Chinese Older People's Association include: weekly lunch gathering, bi-weekly health check-up, singing, Mah-Jong (Chinese Dominos) and cards, keep-fit exercise, talks by relevant…

    Charity Commission record

  2. Kilburn Older Voices Exchange

    NW1 · Income under £10k

    Kilburn Older Voices Exchange advocates on behalf of older people in Kilburn and surrounding area on issues that people raise. Current projects include: road safety, road crossings, lack of public seating and toilets,…

    Their website Charity Commission record

  3. Older People's New Opportunities Consortium (Opnocs)

    B12 · Small charity, income under £100k

    OPNOCS provides: Community activities to encourage older people who are experiencing loneliness to join them and make new friends.Weekly Coffee morning,Weekly seated yoga,Craft club,Trips,Health and wellbeing events.A…

    Their website Charity Commission record

  4. Hawksworth Older Peoples Support Services (Hops) Ltd

    LS5 · Income £100k to £1m

    provide opportunities for older people to meet and enjoy a range activities including exercise , dancings friendship groups. day trips outings, group holidays, lunch clubs .intergenerational workWe also provide arrange…

    Their website Charity Commission record

Small charities worth knowing

5,731 charities for older people have an income under £100,000 a year. Most are run by a few people, often volunteers, and few of them can afford to advertise. Here are some of them, each with recent accounts on the register.

  1. Hospital Houses

    S64 · Income under £10k

    Provision of residential accommodation for older people in need.

    Charity Commission record

  2. Chichester U3a

    PO18 · Small charity, income under £100k

    The advancement of education - and, in particular, the education of older people and those who are retired from full time work - by all means, including associated activities conducive to learning and personal…

    Their website Charity Commission record

  3. Canvey Island U3a

    SS8 · Small charity, income under £100k

    Canvey island u3a is a self-help, self-managed lifelong learning co-operative for older people no longer in full-time employment. we hold a monthly meeting for our members. members share learning experiences in a wide…

    Their website Charity Commission record

  4. Islington Pensioners' Forum

    N1 · Small charity, income under £100k

    We campaign on behalf of pensioners. Give advice through our monthly newsletter, have monthly town hall meetings with prominent speakers on wide subjects, organise day trips, participate in other events such as fund…

    Their website Charity Commission record

  5. Finsbury and Clerkenwell Volunteers

    EC1V · Small charity, income under £100k

    Providing social, emotional and practical support to isolated older people.

    Their website Charity Commission record

  6. Weymouth and Portland U3a

    DT3 · Small charity, income under £100k

    Encourages older people to make new friends, follow their interests and try new activities

    Their website Charity Commission record

  7. Stocksbridge Community Care Group Ltd

    S36 · Small charity, income under £100k

    Stocksbridge Community Care Group (SCCG) is an older people's charity working in Stocksbridge, Deepcar, Wharncliffe Side, Oughtibridge and Worrall. The aim of the organisation is to reduce social isolation and…

    Charity Commission record

  8. Sawbridgeworth U3a

    CM21 · Small charity, income under £100k

    The advancement of education,and in particular the education of older people and those who are retired from full time work, by all means, including associated activities conducive to learning and personal development.

    Their website Charity Commission record

Find the charities for older people that fit you

Answer a few short questions and we'll pick the few that really fit what matters to you, with the reasons why. It takes a couple of minutes, and we never ask for any contact details.

Get my personal shortlist

Charities for older people by town

The towns and cities with the most charities for older people, counted by where each charity is registered. London's number includes national charities with a head office there.

Somewhere else? Search by postcode.

Questions people ask

How many charities for older people are there in the UK?

There are 7,973 registered charities in England and Wales working on older people. 5,731 of them (72%) are small, with an income under £100,000 a year. The figures come from the Charity Commission register for England and Wales, last refreshed in October 2026. Scotland and Northern Ireland keep their own registers, so their charities aren't counted here.

What do charities for older people do?

Going by what they say about themselves on the register, the most common kinds of work are almshouses and housing (651 charities), friendship and loneliness (504 charities), and day centres and help at home (419 charities). Many do more than one of these.

Which charity for older people should I give to?

The one that fits what matters to you. Tell us a little about it and we'll pick the few charities that fit you best, with the reasons why. It's free, takes a couple of minutes, and we never ask for any contact details. No charity can pay to appear on your list.

Why give to a small charity working on older people?

Small charities run on very little, so a regular gift, however modest, helps them plan ahead. They're often rooted in one place, so you can get to know the people doing the work and see what your help does. Every charity listed on this page has an income under £1 million a year and has sent the Charity Commission accounts in the last two and a half years.

How can I check a charity is genuine?

Look it up on the Charity Commission register by its name or charity number. Its page there shows what it does, who its trustees are and its latest accounts. Every charity on this page links straight to its register record.

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