Adult dating in Wales

Wales sits in an unusual position for adult dating. Its criminal law is shared with England, so the rules on consent are the same in Cardiff as in Chester. But health is devolved, and NHS Wales does some things that England doesn't, including a national service for testing at home.

Who to call in Wales

Wales uses the same fraud and police numbers as England, and its own helpline for abuse and sexual violence.

The law on consent

In Wales, a person consents if they agree by choice and have the freedom and capacity to make that choice. Sexual offences are covered by the Sexual Offences Act 2003, which applies in England and Wales; that definition is in section 74. Someone who is asleep, too drunk to make a choice, or being threatened is not in a position to agree.

In practice: a clear yes, no assumptions, and anyone can change their mind at any point. Agreeing to meet, or a frank conversation in the members area, is not agreement to anything on the night. Our consent guide goes into what that looks like from first message to first meeting, and talking about desires and limits helps you have the conversation before you meet.

Intimate images

Sharing an intimate photo or film of someone without their consent is a crime in Wales, and so is threatening to share one (Sexual Offences Act 2003, section 66B). If it happens to you, report it to the police and contact the Revenge Porn Helpline, which can help get images taken down.

Sexual health in Wales

NHS sexual health clinics in Wales are free and confidential, and you don't need a GP referral. Clinics are run by the seven health boards:

• Aneurin Bevan University Health Board (Gwent)
• Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (North Wales)
• Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
• Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board
• Hywel Dda University Health Board (Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire)
• Powys Teaching Health Board
• Swansea Bay University Health Board

NHS 111 Wales lists local clinics and how each one books appointments. Our sexual health guide covers testing, PrEP and PEP.

Free home testing

Wales has a national service for testing at home, run through Public Health Wales. It works like this:

1. Order a kit online. It's free, and comes with a pre-paid return envelope.
2. Take the samples at home. Swabs or urine test for chlamydia and gonorrhoea; a small blood kit tests for HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B and C.
3. Post it back. Results usually arrive by text about seven days later. If a result needs follow-up, your local sexual health service contacts you.

Home kits suit routine checks between partners. They don't test for mpox, and if you have symptoms, or a condom has failed, a clinic is the better choice because staff can examine you and often start treatment sooner.

Raising testing before you meet

Because the kit is free and easy to order, testing makes a natural topic before a first meeting. The simplest way in is to give your own answer first. For example: "I did a home test last month and it was all clear. When did you last get checked?" Most people respond well to that, and anyone who reacts badly to a reasonable question about health is telling you how they'd treat your other limits.

Reporting scams and crime

Wales is covered by Report Fraud, the national fraud and cybercrime reporting service, on 0300 123 2040. Use it for dating scams, sextortion and any other fraud. If money has already gone, call your bank first on 159.

For other crimes, call 101, or 999 in an emergency. Your call goes to whichever of the four Welsh forces covers your area: Dyfed-Powys, Gwent, North Wales or South Wales Police.

When you report, have ready the profile name, the dates of contact, screenshots of messages and any payment details. Report the member to us too, through the members help centre. The safety page explains what to include, and our guide to scams and sextortion describes the patterns to watch for.

Support lines

Live Fear Free, funded by the Welsh Government, is a free helpline on 0808 80 10 800 for anyone affected by sexual violence, domestic abuse or violence against women, and for people worried about someone else. Rape Crisis England & Wales runs a 24/7 support line on 0808 500 2222. Neither requires you to have reported anything to the police.

After a sexual assault, a sexual assault referral centre can offer medical care and support, whether or not you decide to go to the police.

Meeting safely in Wales

Outside the cities, distances are long and buses and trains can be sparse in the evening, particularly across mid-Wales. Before you meet:

• Settle how each of you is getting home, and don't rely on the other person for a lift.
• Pick a public place where neither of you is a regular, especially in a town where people know each other.
• Agree up front that what happens stays private. In a close community, that matters to both of you.

Our first meeting safety plan has the full checklist, and how Adults.co.uk works explains the site, including the fact that profiles are shared with partner sites in the same network.

Clubs and events

We haven't yet verified any licensed lifestyle venue in Wales to list here. We only list venues once we've checked their own current information, and we never list public places. Our guide to swinging and lifestyle clubs explains how licensed clubs and private parties work in the UK.