
When Christmas becomes the hardest day of the year
Your support can help us be there for people like Gwen, Ted and Terry.
Free to call 8am – 7pm 365 days a year
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Get a free weekly friendship call. We'll match you with one of our volunteers. Our service is flexible to suit the different needs of everyone who takes part.
Last year, over 10 million people trusted us to help them with some of the biggest issues in their lives. Learn more about how we help.
Here's how, with your support, Age UK is supporting older people through the cost of living crisis.
Too many older people will spend Christmas alone this year.
The loss of loved ones, changing life circumstances, and spending countless hours without anyone to talk to can leave individuals feeling isolated and alone. And at Christmas time, loneliness can turn what should be a happy day into one of the hardest.
Almost a million
older people across the UK often feel lonely
Over 4 million
older people live alone
1 million
older people had no one to spend Christmas with last year
But with your help, Age UK can be there to support older people who need us at Christmas – and all year round.
This Christmas, Age UK can provide essential services that change people's lives – like we have for Gwen, Ted and Terry.
The changing pace of Gwen's life had left her feeling lonely, but chats with her telephone befriender Holly have made all the difference.
Being referred to the Age UK Telephone Friendship Service has helped Ted to feel more like himself again after losing his beloved wife.
Support from Age UK's telephone services has helped Terry to reconnect with life again in the wake of heartbreaking loss.
Age UK provides expert advice, practical support, crucial friendship, and campaigns to ensure older people's voices are heard on key issues. Only with the help of our supporters can we continue to be there for everyone who needs us – on Christmas Day and every day.
Thanks to our supporters, in 2022:
205,934 calls
were answered by the Age UK Advice Line, offering guidance and support
Over 8.2 million
visits were made to our Information and Advice pages
239,656 calls
were supported by the Age UK Telephone Friendship Service
Age UK provides a range of services and your gift will go wherever the need is greatest.