A large proportion of adults in England report regularly feeling lonely and socially isolated, new research has found. Some of the highest levels are clustered in cities. The problem has been worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic.
These findings come from the biggest recruiting study so far to have used Be Part of Research.
The INTERACT study surveyed more than 135,000 people across England. More than 40,000 of these participants volunteered to take part through Be Part of Research.
It found that:
- almost 1 in 6 participants reported feeling lonely "often or always"
- more than 1 in 5 frequently felt a lack of companionship or had feelings of being left out or isolated
- nearly 44% said the COVID-19 pandemic increased their loneliness
- 48.2% reported increased feelings of isolation
The INTERACT study is one of the world's largest dedicated studies of loneliness. It is the largest of its kind conducted in a single country.
Led by researchers at Imperial College London, the study was supported by funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
The study team believe loneliness should be treated as a public health issue for adults of all ages. Currently it is often seen as a problem of older age.
They highlight the need for health and social care interventions to tackle the issue.
Loneliness and social isolation have profound and lasting impacts. This can affect both physical and mental health, impacting quality and length of life. In 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared loneliness was a global public health problem. Successive UK governments have introduced strategies to try and tackle the issue.
The INTERACT study builds on a growing body of research. This includes the 2018 BBC Loneliness Experiment, which surveyed 55,000 people worldwide.
In the INTERACT study, researchers recruited a total of 135,725 volunteers aged 16 and older. They were asked to complete an online survey over a 5 month period in 2023.
Some of the loneliest people were clustered in major urban centres, such as London, Birmingham and Manchester.
The researchers say this finding is consistent with the 'urban paradox' theory. This is where major cities which offer greater economic, cultural and social advantages often report lower life satisfaction, connectivity and happiness, compared to rural areas.
"A public health and community issue"
Dr Austen El-Osta, from the School of Public Health at Imperial College London, and study lead for INTERACT, said: "Loneliness is often treated as a private experience, but our findings reinforce that it is also a public health and community issue. INTERACT gives us one of the largest and most detailed descriptive datasets on loneliness and social connection in England, helping us understand not only who reports loneliness, but how it relates to neighbourhood trust, social capital and place.
"The key message is not simply that many people feel lonely, but that loneliness is strongly influenced by people's surroundings, social network, and their environment. Public health responses need to look beyond individual resilience and consider the environments, services and community assets that help people feel connected, supported and able to participate.
“Thank you to the 40,000 Be Part of Research volunteers who took part in this study. Your participation is helping to provide evidence to help improve health and care for future generations.”
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