Casual dating over 60 in the UK: health services, safety and reporting

Using Granny Slags in the UK

Most people who use Granny Slags are in the UK, and it works the same in all four nations. Joining, making a profile and browsing are free; reading and replying to messages needs a paid membership, which renews until you cancel in Settings > Billing.

• Price and currency. The members area shows the price of each plan, and the currency it will be charged in, before you pay. If a payment is taken in a currency other than sterling, your card provider may add a fee. Our prices page explains renewal and what appears on your statement.
• Who can see you. Profiles are shared with partner sites in the same network, so people who joined elsewhere can see and message you. How Granny Slags works explains the set-up, and the facts page has the essentials in one place.
• Living in the Republic of Ireland? Different services apply; see our Ireland page.

Sexual health testing in the UK

NHS sexual health testing is free at any age, in every nation of the UK. Sexual health clinics, sometimes called GUM or sexual and reproductive health clinics, test and treat STIs including HIV, offer contraception, hepatitis B vaccination and help after sexual assault. Visits are confidential: the NHS says staff won't tell anyone, including your GP, what you discuss without your permission. You can ask for a female or male nurse or doctor, and bring someone with you.

You don't usually need a GP referral or an appointment, but the NHS suggests contacting the clinic first to check. Many STIs have no symptoms, so the NHS advises testing when you have new partners, and waiting about 7 weeks after sex without a condom for the most reliable result if you have no symptoms. Until you've been tested, use a condom.

How to find a service depends on where you live:

Menopause, comfort and contraception

The NHS lists vaginal dryness, burning, irritation and itching as common symptoms of menopause, and notes they can make sex painful. Lubricants and vaginal moisturisers are sold in pharmacies without a prescription, and you can ask the pharmacist to talk privately. If you use condoms, avoid oil-based lubricants, which can damage them.

Vaginal oestrogen treats menopausal dryness and irritation. According to the NHS, two products can be bought from a pharmacy (Gina vaginal tablets and Ovesse vaginal cream); the rest are prescription only, and it can take up to 3 months to work fully. See a GP if self-help isn't enough, and always if you have any vaginal bleeding after 12 months without a period.

If you're still in perimenopause, contraception still matters: the NHS says you need it for a year after your final period if you're 50 or over, and HRT is not contraception.

Where to report fraud and scams in the UK

Fraud is reported to Report Fraud in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and to Police Scotland in Scotland. Report Fraud replaced Action Fraud in December 2025; if you see the old name on a leaflet, the new service is the one to use.

159 is a short number that connects you to your own bank safely. If you get an unexpected call about your money, hang up and call 159 instead; Stop Scams UK says it covers more than 99% of UK current accounts.

7726 is the free scam-text reporting number: the National Cyber Security Centre says you can report a suspicious text for free by forwarding it there. Suspicious emails go to the NCSC's reporting address, report@phishing.gov.uk.

Before you report, save screenshots of the profile and messages, usernames, phone numbers and any bank details you were given, then block the person and report the profile in the members area.

Spotting a romance scam early

A romance scam is a fake relationship built to get money out of you, and it usually starts with attention, not a request. The person is warm, attentive and quick to say how much you mean to them, but there's always a reason they can't meet or video call. Sooner or later there's a problem only money will fix.

Genuine people you meet through a casual dating site don't:

• ask for money, gift cards, crypto or bank details, for any reason;
• need you to pay for their travel to come and see you;
• offer you a share in an investment;
• ask you to keep them secret from friends and family;
• push you to install an app so they can "help" with your phone or computer.

If any of that happens, stop replying and report it. Our romance scams guide shows how these conversations usually build, and the safety and consent page covers what Granny Slags checks and what it doesn't.

If a date goes wrong

If you're in danger, call 999. After that, free and confidential support is available in every nation, and you don't have to report to the police to use it.

Also worth knowing:

• Medical help after an assault: NHS sexual health clinics offer help after rape or sexual assault.
• Support as a victim of any crime (England and Wales): Victim Support is free on 08 08 16 89 111 and has a 24/7 live chat, whether or not you've reported to the police.
• Intimate images shared without consent: the Revenge Porn Helpline supports adults living in the UK, weekdays 10am to 4pm.
• Free advice for older people: the Age UK Advice Line, 0800 678 1602, is a free, confidential national phone service, open 8am to 7pm, 365 days a year.

Dating well in the UK

Meet somewhere public and busy the first time, make your own way there and home, and tell a friend where you'll be. Check the last train or bus before you set off rather than relying on a lift. A text to a friend can be this simple. Example: "Meeting someone from the site at the Crown on the high street, 7pm. I'll text you by 9."

If there's an age gap, settle what you both want, and what discretion means, before you meet; our age-gap guide suggests how to start that conversation. Our meeting-safely checklist goes through the rest, including how to leave early when you'd rather not stay.