United Kingdom
Dating in the UK as an expat, from London to Aberdeen
Fourteen city guides and members who know what it takes to make a home on these islands. Joining ExpatSingles costs nothing.
- Fourteen city guides
- Joining costs nothing
- Prices in pounds
- Many manually verified members
In short
Dating in the UK as an expat often starts with a cup of tea and a joke about the weather, and goes better with someone who also moved here. Signing up for ExpatSingles is free, and once your city and preferences are set, the site proposes members nearby each day.
- Guides: fourteen city guides, from London and Manchester to Belfast and Aberdeen.
- Costs nothing: your profile, matches every day, ID verification and a few messages daily.
- Who: internationals living in the UK, and British singles looking to meet someone from abroad.
- VIP: unlimited messages from £14.99 for a week.
The UK is home to people from all over the world, and London is one of the most international cities anywhere. Even so, newcomers often find that British friendships form slowly, through work, a sports club or the local pub quiz. Dating in the UK as a foreigner is easier when you meet people who have been the new person too, or Britons who enjoy that.
Why expats in the UK try online dating
Online dating gets past the polite small talk and tells you who is actually single.
ExpatSingles in the UK
Building a life in the UK and hoping to meet someone? That is what ExpatSingles is for
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Experience in common
Members live abroad or want a partner who does, so visas, flat hunting and missing home are familiar ground.
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Across four nations
England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each have their own feel; your suggestions follow your own city and distance.
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Interests that show who you are
Tick Sports & Local Teams, Book Clubs or International Cuisine and give a match an easy first question.
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Privacy built in
You appear under a username with your nearest town; your name, email and address are never shown.
Each guide below shows the areas expats live in, where people go on a first date and how dating in that city really works.
Expat dating guides for fourteen UK cities
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London
Shoreditch, Hackney and Clapham
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Manchester
Ancoats, Northern Quarter and West Didsbury
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Edinburgh
Leith, The Shore and Stockbridge
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Birmingham
Jewellery Quarter, Digbeth and Brindleyplace
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Bristol
Stokes Croft, Montpelier and Clifton
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Glasgow
West End, Finnieston and Merchant City
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Leeds
The Waterfront, City Centre and Chapel Allerton
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Liverpool
Baltic Triangle, Georgian Quarter and Lark Lane
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Newcastle
Jesmond, Heaton and Ouseburn
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Brighton
North Laine, Kemptown and Hove
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Cambridge
Mill Road, CB1 District and Newnham
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Oxford
Jericho, Cowley Road and Summertown
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Belfast
Botanic, Queen's Quarter and Ormeau Road
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Aberdeen
Rosemount, West End and Ferryhill
British dating culture: what to expect
British humour is dry, and understatement is part of the charm: "not bad at all" can be high praise. Many first dates are a drink after work, but a coffee, a museum or a walk by the river are just as common, and saying you would rather do something sober is fine.
Splitting the bill is normal on a first date, though offering to pay is a kind gesture either way. People tend to text the next day to say they had a good time.
Getting around is easy by train and bus between the big cities, so dating someone a short ride away is realistic. Set your search to your own city first, then widen it if you like.
Free to join
London or Aberdeen, someone else has moved here too
Choose your city and distance, and new suggestions arrive every day. The ID check is free.
Join freeMembers
Members who live in the UK
Some of the ExpatSingles members in the UK at the moment, with ID-verified members first.
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Sam, 57
Nottingham
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Ebeco, 45
London
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Bobbydog, 84
Hemel Hempstead
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EngagingWarrior39a44b, 62
Hastings
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kubo_b, 37
Knaresborough
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Tilly2, 57
Chester
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Boadecia, 42
Haverfordwest
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Richard, 64
Bridgwater
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Babs, 47
Wolverhampton
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Lindam1962, 64
Glasgow
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DazzlingFighter, 46
Linby
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Rodica, 68
Eastbourne
How to start dating in the UK on ExpatSingles
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Set up your profile
Free: username, photo and where you moved from.
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Pick your city and distance
Stay local, or include the towns a short train ride away.
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Add a verified badge
The ID check is free, and a video check with a moderator needs no documents.
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Get chatting
A few free messages a day, or VIP if you would rather not count.
Staying safe dating in the UK
- Cafe, pub or park. First dates in the UK are usually in a cafe, a pub or a park, and a few habits keep them pleasant: meet somewhere busy, tell a friend your plans and keep messaging on ExpatSingles; you get an alert if a match suggests carrying on over WhatsApp or another app.
- What Report Fraud advises. Report Fraud, which took over from Action Fraud and is run by the City of London Police, advises never sending money to someone you only know online, however sad the story. Romance fraud in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is reported at reportfraud.police.uk or by phone on 0300 123 2040, while Police Scotland handles it on 101. Anyone who has already sent money should call their bank without delay.
- 999, 112 and 101. In an emergency, call 999 or 112. For non-emergencies, the police number is 101 across the UK.
What ExpatSingles costs in the UK
There is no charge to join or to use your profile and suggestions. VIP and VIP Plus are paid in pounds sterling, and every cell shows the total plus the monthly figure.
| Plan length | VIP | VIP Plus |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week | £14.99 | £15.99 |
| 1 month | £24.95 | £34.24 |
| 3 months | £59.95£19.98 a month | £77.01£25.67 a month |
| 6 months | £74.70£12.45 a month | £128.31£21.39 a month |
| 12 months | £119.88£9.99 a monthpaid once | £208.05£17.34 a monthpaid once |
Plans from one week to six months keep renewing until you cancel, and the 12-month plan is one single payment. What each membership includes.
Dating in the UK: questions from internationals
Is ExpatSingles good for dating in the UK?
ExpatSingles is good for dating in the UK if you moved there from abroad, or are British and would like a partner with an international story. It has fourteen UK city guides and works in your phone browser.
How much does ExpatSingles cost in the UK?
ExpatSingles costs nothing to join in the UK. VIP is £24.95 for one month, or £119.88 for a year paid once, which comes to £9.99 a month.
Can I message people without VIP?
You can message people without VIP: the free membership gives you a few messages a day and lets you answer VIP members, and verification opens the group chat rooms. VIP makes messaging unlimited.
Where do expats in the UK live?
Expats in the UK live all over the country, with London home to the largest share and big communities in Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Glasgow. ExpatSingles has a guide for each of these cities and nine more.
Where do I report romance fraud in the UK?
Romance fraud in the UK is reported to Report Fraud if you live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, on 0300 123 2040 or through its website; people in Scotland report it to Police Scotland on 101. Call your bank quickly if money has gone.
Meet someone in the UK who knows the feeling
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