Is Freemasonry still a big thing in the UK?

I would, with caveats. For info I joined in my mid 20s and I am 41 now. Beyond the moral teachings and the joy of being a part of an organisation with such a cool history, as a slight introvert I have found that it has vastly improved my ability to small talk with strangers, given me confidence in public speaking and performing and given me literally hundreds of friends (maybe as many as a thousand people I now know through freemasonry) though obviously only a few are REALLY close friends. I travel abroad for work and when I have visited lodges in the US, India, HK and Scotland I have always been really well looked after and I feel I have a support network in pretty much any place western civilisation has touched. When you join freemasonry you join a lodge. Your experience will only be as good as that lodge. Because masonry has had declining numbers for decades (though numbers are levelling off and in some places actually growing slightly) we tend to have an aging demographic and not all lodges are equal. Some are growing rapidly and feel very vibrant, others barely have enough members to fill all the office positions within the lodge. Joining a lodge that is struggling will probably result in a rockier road for a new member. In some sense its easy to get on the officer list and work your way through to become master of the lodge, but, you will probably be pressured in to joining the officer list before you feel ready to do so. If you did join from an internet query you should be funnelled towards a lodge which suits your needs. For example there are special interest lodges. In my province there are school/university lodges, lodges based on professions (a farmers lodge, a musicians lodge, former military/service personnel) and lodges for hobbies/interests (rugby, fishing, craft beer) as well as general lodges based on the local community. In terms of costs/time: Time: Lodges meet between 4 and 12 times per year on a recurring basis. Normally something like the 1st monday of a month, or the 3rd thursday etc. You want to find a schedule that works for you. If you join the officers to take part in the ceremonies then typically there is a practice session before the lodge too, so you can effectively double the number of evenings out. You can give apologies if you can't attend and you are encouraged to put family and work first, but on the flip side, it causes problems if someone takes on an office and then never turns up. Cost: Prices vary. I'm up in Durham and most lodge subs up here are £150-200/year with a joining fee of around £130. We typically have a meal after every meeting and prices vary but in my province its prob the cheapest 2-4 course meal you've ever had. Typically £12-18 plus drinks (either alcohol or soft drinks cost). In London those prices are substantially higher, I believe 50-60/meal as they tend to dine at restaurants. There is an expectation of charitable giving. Typically a collection in the lodge (in my province most put in £1), and a raffle (most pay £5 or £10). Also general donations to the masonic charity when provinces are with 'festival' years. Typically £10/month is normal but you give what you can afford. You also need to own appropriate dress for the lodge either a plain black suit or a black dinner jacket is common, and you need to buy your own apron when you go through your Master Mason degree. These are around £40 from online shops, but often people will have an old one they will be happy to give away if you don't mind one with a bit of a patina on it :P