Rising numbers of middle-aged people living alone, official figures now reveal

THE NUMBER of middle-aged people living alone in the UK has jumped by about a half over the past two decades, figures show.

There were 2.43m 45 to 64-year-olds living on their own in 2017, compared with 1.59m in 1996, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The rise is partly due to the 1960s “baby boom” generation increasing the size of this age group, the ONS said, particularly in the past decade.

It may also be down to a jump in the proportion of people in the age bracket who are divorced, single or have never married.

The figures also show the number of people aged 75 and over who are living alone has increased by around a quarter in the two decades to 2017, from 1.78 million to 2.21 million.

Fewer young adults are living alone, with the number for 25 to 44-year-olds down 16 per cent from 1.59m in 1996 to 1.34m in 2017.

The drop is reflected in the number of 20 to 34-year-olds living with their parents, which stands at 3.4m – the highest level since comparable records began.

Young men are more likely than young women to be staying at home, with figures showing that around a third of 20 to 34-year-old men did so in 2017, compared with one in five women.

The larger numbers staying at home may be down to extended periods spent in education or training, having children older, and increased house prices, the ONS said.

Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: “The fact that there are significantly greater numbers of older people living alone and the suggestion that this trend is expected to intensify in the years to come has really big implications for policy and practice. In particular, it means there is an increased likelihood of loneliness among the older population and that the demands on public services, especially health and care, are set to rise to a greater degree than may yet have been recognised.”