Moving to a new city can give you a fresh start and leave you feeling lonely at the same time. You may know where the supermarket is before you know anyone to share dinner with. Even a move you wanted can take away the familiar contact that used to happen without much planning.
This guide offers manageable ways to find your footing, keep old connections and gradually build new ones. The same ideas may be useful after moving to a town, village or different neighbourhood. You do not have to make the whole place feel like home immediately.
Why can moving feel lonely?
A move changes more than your address. You might lose the colleague you chatted with on a break, a neighbour who recognised you or the friend you could see without checking train times. Those small contacts can be easy to overlook until they are missing.
Mind includes moving to a new area or country among the changes that can contribute to loneliness. It does not mean moving was a mistake. It may mean that familiar connections have changed before new ones have had time to develop.
Try naming the gap. Do you want company nearby, someone to talk to closely or a place where people recognise you? The loneliness hub explains why those needs can feel different.
Keep one or two old connections active
You do not need to wait until you have an exciting update to contact people you already know. An ordinary conversation about the day can matter, especially when everything around you is unfamiliar.
A simple arrangement may be easier than repeatedly saying you should catch up. For example: “Could we have a short call on Sunday while I unpack?” Or: “I would like to keep our film chat going even though I have moved.” These are illustrative suggestions, not customer stories.
Let people know if you are finding the move difficult. Friends may assume you are busy settling in and wait for you to get in touch. Our guide to opening up to someone offers ways to begin without explaining everything at once.
Make a few places familiar
You do not have to join an event straight away. You might begin by visiting the same library, park, community centre or local shop when it suits you. Familiarity can make the area easier to navigate even before you have made friends.
Choose places that fit your budget, access needs and comfort. You do not need to spend money in a café every day to justify being around people. Libraries and council listings can be useful places to look for free local activities.
If an event sounds interesting, ask what happens when a newcomer arrives. Knowing where to go, whether you need to book and whether you can leave early can make a first visit more manageable.
Look for repeat contact around an interest
A one-off event can be enjoyable, but a recurring activity gives you another chance to see the same people. Consider something you actually like or would like to learn, rather than choosing whatever sounds most sociable.
Options might include a reading group, a class, a volunteering role or an accessible activity organised locally. Check costs, travel, equipment and attendance expectations before committing. You can ask to observe a session if you are unsure.
The British Red Cross guidance on building connections suggests exploring groups and shared interests. Our guide to making friends as an adult looks at how ordinary contact can gradually become more familiar.
Your first goal might simply be saying hello or learning somebody’s name. You do not have to leave the first session with a new friendship.
Turn a vague plan into a small invitation
If you get on with someone, you can suggest a brief, specific activity. “Would you like to walk to the station together after the class?” is easier to answer than an open-ended plan to meet sometime.
Leave room for a different time or a no. People can have established responsibilities and still be open to knowing you. One unsuccessful invitation does not describe your prospects in the whole city.
When meeting someone new, choose a public place and make travel arrangements you are comfortable with. You do not need to disclose your home address or personal circumstances before trust has developed.
If you live alone or work from home
A new flat and remote job can mean there is little contact built into the day. Think about one realistic opportunity to be around people or speak to someone. That could be a colleague’s catch-up, a local activity or a regular call with a friend.
You do not have to turn every outing into a search for friends. Our remote-working guide and support ideas for adults living alone explore these settings.
If you are moving for study, see loneliness at university. If you have moved to London, our London loneliness guide considers connection in a large city.
Make the plan fit your access and energy
Transport, cost, disability, caring responsibilities or language can affect what is possible. Those are practical constraints, rather than evidence that you are not trying hard enough.
The previous article in this series, disability and loneliness, includes questions about access and communication. You can also ask local advice organisations or your GP practice about community support and social prescribing where available.
For a neutral discussion of automated chat alongside human contact, see AI companion versus a real person.
Next in our Loneliness through life series: retirement loneliness, including the everyday contact and structure that can change after work.
When to seek further support
If loneliness or low mood is affecting your daily life, contact your GP. If you have moved away from your previous practice, check the local registration process so you know where to ask for healthcare. The NHS loneliness guidance offers further routes.
There is no need to wait until your social life looks settled before asking for support. You can work on practical arrangements and talk about how you are feeling at the same time.
If you need urgent help
If someone’s life is at risk or you cannot keep yourself or someone else safe, call 999 or go to A&E. In England, for urgent mental health help, call NHS 111 and select the mental health option, or ask for an urgent GP appointment. See the NHS urgent-help guidance and our urgent help page.
For free listening support, call Samaritans on 116 123, day or night.
If you want an ordinary conversation while settling in
Our someone to talk to service offers booked, phone-only befriending for adults aged 18 and over. It is not therapy, counselling, a local introduction service or crisis support, and does not replace building the connections you want in your new area.
Sources checked 3 November 2026. Examples are illustrative; no customer experiences are used.
