Young people more likely to be lonely than the elderly, says new report

Contrary to popular perception, older people are the least lonely age group in Britain, according to research conducted by an influential think-tank.

A total of 31.4 million people, or nearly six in 10 adults, feel lonely at least some of the time. Yet, older Brits are bucking the trend because they tend to have stronger family and community connections.

Lonely Nation Part 2: Ending Loneliness Among Older People from the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), found that just over four in 10 adults over the age of 65 say they feel lonely at least some of the time, falling to over three in 10 of over 75s. This is in sharp contrast with 18–24-year-olds; nearly three quarters (70 per cent) say they feel lonely at least some of the time.

Polling for the CSJ was conducted by Whitestone Insight and based on a sample of over 2,000 UK adults.

The report is clear that “there is much to be learned from older people” in managing loneliness.

It points to how “older people are more likely to have conversations with their neighbours, see members of their extended family, attend a community event, volunteer and have a meaningful conversation with a friend or family member than the rest of the adult population. All these activities help to protect against loneliness.”

However, the CSJ warns that despite being less lonely than the population average, those who are lonely in older age face unique challenges, and loneliness in later years can be more chronic.

The report estimates that 5.8 million older people struggle with loneliness. Severe loneliness in older people costs health and social care services in excess of £6,000 per person over 10 years.

These particular causes of loneliness in older people require specific solutions, particularly when family move away and when public transport is cut. Loneliness in younger people is typically driven by very different factors including the rise in mental health problems and social media use. In contrast, among older people the CSJ finds that using a smartphone protects against loneliness.

The report contains 20 recommendations to reduce loneliness amongst older people, including:

1. A new older person National Volunteer Passport which would reduce barriers to volunteering in retirement.
2. Requiring local authorities to measure participation in social infrastructure so government can monitor and strengthen the social fabric.
3. Reforms to the planning system to build well designed homes and communities for older people.
4. A refreshed loneliness strategy that tackles the root causes of loneliness.
5. A loneliness test within government plans for a long-term strategy for transport.

Josh Nicholson, Senior Researcher at the Centre for Social Justice said:

“Britain is ageing fast. Whilst there is much to learn from older people about how to participate in society, there are also significant challenges that mean nearly six million older people face the daily struggle of loneliness.”

“They are far more likely to be left behind by modern technology, isolated by cuts to public transport and dependent on family members for support and care.”

“The government must commit to preparing for an ageing society by taking steps to tackle the root causes of loneliness in old age.”

When asked what prevents loneliness in old age, an older person at the charity Reaching People said:

“I’m part of the volunteers at a lunch club. We all work together and you do have a sense of belonging. And you know, you care for each other and it’s good. The other volunteers come in to help you, they feel happier within themselves as well which is good. Doing something for the community, being part of something bigger gives you that connectedness…it’s about giving, it’s not all about taking. If you can give, there’s a nice feelgood factor.”

Jill Fraser the Chief Executive of Kissing it Better, a charity that works to end the isolation of old age said:

“What we do is challenging work, but it needs to be done. The message is simple: we need to connect with each other, learn from each other, and start having fun together. They say it takes a village to raise a child; it also takes a strong community to keep people feeling happy and connected, from the cradle to the grave.”