Loneliness in numbers
The facts and statistics
Loneliness is a part of life and something that most of us experience at some point. But when loneliness is severe or lasts a long time, it can have a negative impact on our health and well-being.​
Long term loneliness
Recent studies suggest that long-term loneliness is one of the largest health concerns we face. It is as harmful as obesity or smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Feeling lonely can lead to depression, anxiety, disrupted sleep and stress. It can also be a factor in heart disease, increased blood pressure and degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
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Loneliness is likely to increase your risk of death by 26%. [1]​​
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Loneliness is worse for you than obesity. [2]​
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Loneliness is a risk factor for depression in later life. [3]
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Loneliness and social isolation put individuals at greater risk of cognitive decline and dementia. [4]​
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Loneliness and social isolation have been linked to a 30% increase in the risk of having a stroke or coronary artery disease. [5]
Loneliness affects people of all ages​
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16-29-year-olds are twice as likely as those over 70 to experience loneliness. [6]​
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Characteristics of people who are more likely to experience loneliness include those who are widowed, those with poorer health, and those with long-term illness or disability. [3]
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In total, 45% of adults feel occasionally, sometimes, or often lonely in England. This equates to twenty-five million people. [7]
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Disconnected communities could be costing the UK economy £32 billion every year. [8]
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The number of over-50s experiencing loneliness is set to reach two million by 2025/6. This compares to around 1.4 million in 2016/7 – a 49% increase in 10 years. [9]
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Half a million older people go at least five or six days a week without seeing or speaking to anyone at all. [10]
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Two-fifths of all older people (about 3.9 million) say the television is their main company. [11]
References
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Holt-Lunstad, 2015. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25910392/
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Holt-Lunstad, 2010. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20668659/
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Courtin, E., & Knapp, M. (2017). Social isolation, loneliness and health in old age: a scoping review. Health & social care in the community, 25(3), 799-812
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Cacioppo, J.T. and Cacioppo, S., 2014. Older adults reporting social isolation or loneliness show poorer cognitive function 4 years later. Evidence-based nursing, 17(2), pp.59-60. https://heart.bmj.com/content/102/13/1009
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Community Life Survey 2019-20) https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/community-life-survey-201920
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https://www.campaigntoendloneliness.org/the-facts-on-loneliness/
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Research commissioned by Eden Project initiative The Big Lunch - https://www.edenprojectcommunities.com/the-cost-of-disconnected-communities
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Age UK 2018, All The Lonely People https://www.ageuk.org.uk/globalassets/age-uk/documents/reports-and-publications/reports-and-briefings/loneliness/loneliness-report_final_2409.pdf
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Age UK 2016, No-one should have no one https://www.ageuk.org.uk/Documents/EN-GB/No-one_Should_Have_No-one_Working_to_end_loneliness.pdf?dtrk=true
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Age, U.K., 2014. Evidence Review: Loneliness in Later Life. London: Age UK
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