THE LOCKDOWN LONELY

Young people and those who live alone or in rented accommodation are more likely to be feeling lonely during lockdown

MORE than seven million people have been affected by lockdown loneliness. Between April 3 and May 3, the Office for National Statistics spoke to people who said their well-being had been affected by the coronavirus outbreak in the past seven days, and who were “very” or “somewhat worried” about its effect on their life.

Of those, 31% said they had been feeling lonely.

Dawn Snape, Assistant Director of Sustainability and inequalities Division, ONS said: ““Lockdown” affected everyone, but responses differed.

“During that first month, the equivalent of 7.4 million people said their well-being was affected through feeling lonely.

“"Lonely" people were more likely than others to be struggling to find things to help them cope and were also less likely to feel they had support networks to fall back on.”

The “lockdown lonely” is made up of 1.5 million people who say they are often or always lonely, 5.6 million people who are sometimes lonely, and 0.3 million people who hardly ever or never felt lonely before lockdown.

Among those more likely to be lonely were those aged 16 to 24, those who live alone, those who were single, divorced or widowed, and those in rented accommodation.

Tom Madders, Director of Campaigns at YoungMinds comments: “In a survey YoungMinds conducted at the start of lockdown, many young people told us that they were concerned about isolation and loneliness.

“We know that the crisis has put added pressure on many young people, especially those that miss their friends, are struggling to manage without the structure of school, or have lost their coping mechanisms or professional support.

“Feeling lonely isn’t itself a mental health problem, but it can have a negative impact on your mental health. Young people who are struggling with their mental health also often feel isolated or alone. If you are feeling lonely, or struggling with your mental health, it’s important to talk to someone about how you’re feeling, whether that’s a friend, partner, or health professional.”

Those who reported being lonely (both chronically or in lockdown) were more likely to report that they were struggling to find things to help them cope while staying at home.

Those in the lockdown lonely group were less likely to spend time with other household members or gardening to help them cope.

The ONS said this might explain higher levels of loneliness among those in rented accommodation or living alone (who are also more likely

to be renting), with lack of access to gardens a factor (24% of rented homes had no garden compared to 4% of owned homes).

However, some people who are often lonely reported not feeling lonely in lockdown.

Around 0.4 million people who are

often or always lonely said they hadn’t been feeling lonely during the past seven days.

The ONS suggested those who are chronically lonely are more likely to have an underlying health condition or disability. This may mean they have been shielding or strictly social

distancing as a consequence.

It is possible this group may be receiving more support during the lockdown than they would have otherwise had, or they are able to engage in a wider range of activities now offered virtually than was previously possible.