Between 6% and 18% of the population experience feeling loneliness, this is alarming as recent research has linked the feeling of loneliness to early death, increased risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, depression and Alzheimer’s.
This is according to a January 2020 report from the government on the state of loneliness in the UK.
The report also finds that:
- Young people report struggling with loneliness more than any other group, but targeted interventions and policies are currently relatively sparse
- It is recognised that the civil society is an integral part of reducing loneliness, thus the government has provided up to £2.6 million in grant-funding to Co-op Foundation to help improve community spaces
- Data on loneliness has improved due to the integration of loneliness measure in government surveys, including the Public Health Outcomes Framework and the Health Survey for England
- The three areas of focus by the government in 2020 are to improve information and communications about loneliness, further policies targeted at tackling loneliness amongst children and young people, and strengthening community infrastructure and assets
