During the early 1980s, individual Nightlines started to work together to share skills and ideas, such as publicity, recruitment and training concepts.

Starting at this time, annual national Nightline conferences were held at a range of higher education venues.

It became a registered charity in early 2006, and soon after developed an accreditation structure around good practices for Nightlines to adhere to.

Nightline's 40th birthday celebratory conference and awards ceremony was held at the place of its origin Essex University in March 2010.

In addition to the various listening services, some Nightlines supply condoms, pregnancy testing kits, personal attack alarms and women's sanitary products.