Hobbies and Learning in Later Life: Free and Low-Cost
Last checked November 2026. Offers and rules change: confirm with the provider before you rely on them.
Later life is the best time to take up something new, and much of it costs little or nothing: learning groups, free online courses, an allotment, volunteering, days out on the bus pass and friendly local walks. These guides explain how each one works and how to get started.
Why it is worth the effort
When work stops, or children move away, the week can lose its shape. Having somewhere to be on a Tuesday morning, people who expect you and something you are getting better at makes a real difference to how the days feel. You do not need to be clever, fit or sociable to begin. Every group described in this section was started by, and is full of, people who once walked in knowing nobody.
Money need not be a barrier either. Most of what we cover here is free, and the rest is low-cost, often with reduced rates for people on a low income or over a certain age.
Choosing what suits you
- If you want company, start with a group that meets regularly: a u3a interest group, a walking group or a volunteering team.
- If you prefer your own company, try a free online course at home, or an allotment where you can chat over the fence only when you feel like it.
- If getting out is difficult, many courses and some u3a groups meet online, and telephone befriending is a way of volunteering from an armchair.
- If money is tight, the bus pass, the public library and free wellbeing walks cost nothing at all.
Guides in this section
- u3a guide — what u3a is, how its member-run interest groups work, what it typically costs and how to find one near you.
- Free and cheap courses for over-60s — council adult education, free online courses from the Open University and others, library digital-skills help and fee concessions.
- Allotments guide — how to apply to your council, waiting lists, rent and concession rates, and sharing a plot.
- Volunteering in later life — where to find roles in each UK nation, what expenses you can claim and how volunteering affects benefits.
- Bus-pass days out — planning a free day out with the older person's bus pass: time rules, crossing boundaries and what the pass does not cover.
- Walking groups and gentle exercise — free led walks, walking at parkrun, council leisure concessions and the NHS activity guidelines.
Related guides elsewhere on the site
Several of our other pages fit naturally with a new hobby. For reading and puzzles, see large-print books and puzzles and e-readers. Gardeners will find garden tools for older gardeners useful. For outings, see days out discounts, cinema and theatre discounts and the Senior Railcard. If you are new to the internet, begin with tablets for over-60s and our video calling guide. And for a list of things that cost nothing at all, see free things for over-60s.
Common questions
I have never been a "joiner". Where should I start?
With something that has a task at its centre, such as a walk, a class or an allotment. Conversation comes more easily when everyone is busy doing something, and there is no pressure to talk.
What if I have a health condition or limited mobility?
Tell the organiser. Most groups are used to adapting, with shorter walks, seated exercise, step-free venues and raised beds on allotment sites. If you are unsure whether an activity is safe for you, ask your GP first.
How do I find out what is on near me?
Ask at your public library, which usually keeps a noticeboard and a list of local groups, and look at your council's website. Your local Age UK (Age Scotland, Age Cymru or Age NI) also knows what runs nearby.