Telephone and face-to-face befriending offer different ways to have regular conversation. One may fit your week better, or you may want a mixture. The best starting point is the kind of contact you want and the practical arrangements you need.
This guide compares a call with meeting a befriender in person. It also explains what to ask about costs, access, boundaries and support before choosing a service. Neither format guarantees that loneliness will disappear.
What does befriending mean?
Befriending Networks describes befriending as a relationship supported by an organisation, with matching and ongoing support. Its directory includes in-person, telephone and online services serving local or national communities.
Arrangements differ between organisations. Some offer a matched volunteer and a regular weekly contact; others offer booked paid conversations. Our guide to what befriending is explains the wider picture.
Telephone befriending
A befriender speaks with you over the phone. You may agree a recurring time or choose from available appointments, depending on the service. You can usually take the call somewhere suitable without arranging a journey or a visitor.
That may appeal if you enjoy talking by phone, want contact with someone outside your local area or find getting to a meeting difficult. It still requires a usable phone connection and somewhere you can hear and speak comfortably.
It will not suit everyone. Hearing, speech, language or other communication needs can make ordinary phone calls difficult or inaccessible. Ask what the particular service can provide rather than assuming a telephone option includes captions, interpretation or specialist support.
Questions to ask about calls
- Who calls whom, and will I recognise the number?
- Will I speak to the same person, and how does matching work?
- How long and how often are the calls?
- What happens if I miss a call or need to change the time?
- What does the service cost, and are there eligibility requirements?
Face-to-face befriending
You meet a befriender in person, perhaps at home or in an agreed community setting. The format may allow conversation alongside a shared activity. The organisation should explain what its volunteers or staff can and cannot do.
It may suit you if you value being with someone in the same place, prefer in-person communication or would like a local connection. A home visit may avoid travel for you; meeting elsewhere may require suitable transport and an accessible venue.
Inviting someone into your home is a personal choice. Ask how identity, introductions, safeguarding and concerns are handled. You can want company while also wanting clear boundaries around your space and belongings.
Questions to ask about meetings
- Where would we meet, and can the location change?
- How are befrienders checked, introduced and supported?
- Can the venue and journey meet my access needs?
- What activities are included, and are there extra expenses?
- Who do I contact if a visit does not happen or I feel uncomfortable?
A brief comparison
| Format | Main practical considerations |
|---|---|
| Telephone | No shared venue or journey needed; check hearing, communication, signal, privacy and call arrangements. |
| Face to face | Shared physical setting; check location, access, transport, home boundaries and what a visit includes. |
The format alone does not tell you the quality of the service. Matching, reliability, clear limits and a way to raise concerns matter in either case. Our guide to choosing a listening service explores further checks.
Are visiting services free and phone services paid?
That is not a reliable distinction. Both formats can be provided through different funding arrangements. Ask each organisation about eligibility, referral, charges, availability and any waiting list.
For example, Age UK’s Telephone Friendship Service offers free regular calls for eligible older people. Its current criteria and waiting information are on its website. Free does not mean unsuitable, and paying does not by itself mean a service is a better fit.
Our free and paid befriending comparison explains questions to consider. You can enquire about a free service before deciding whether to pay for anything.
Can you use both?
You may want a local visit and phone contact at different times. Check each service’s arrangements and be realistic about what you want to commit to. There is no requirement to choose one format permanently.
It can help to identify the gap in your week. If you miss sharing an activity, ask what in-person options exist. If you want an ordinary conversation without travelling, explore phone contact if it is accessible to you. You may also value friends, interest groups or text-based communities alongside either service.
Befriending is different from care or therapy
A friendly visit does not automatically include personal care, medication help, transport, household tasks or supervision. A phone call cannot check your physical surroundings or provide emergency monitoring. Ask directly if you need practical assistance.
Our comparison of befriending and companionship care explains that distinction. If you want professional help with mental health, see listening services and therapy and speak to an appropriate healthcare professional.
A free conversation option for older people
Age UK’s Silver Line Helpline offers people aged 55 and over free friendship, conversation and support by phone on 0800 4 70 80 90, 24 hours a day, every day. This is different from signing up for a regular matched friendship call.
For local and national befriending options, use the Befriending Networks directory and confirm the details with the provider. Listings and availability can change.
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, call NHS 111 and select the mental health option for urgent mental health help, 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. Do not wait for a scheduled befriending contact in an emergency.
For a careful summary of studies and their limits, read the benefits of befriending and what the research says.
What we offer
Let’s Just Talk OK offers booked, phone-only befriending for adults aged 18 and over in the UK. You choose your befriender from available appointments. Calls cost £30 for 30 minutes or £45 for 60 minutes and are not recorded. We do not offer home visits, therapy, counselling, care or crisis support.
Provider information and safety sources checked 3 November 2026. Confirm eligibility, access and availability directly before making arrangements.
