Solitary Scotland: nearly 1million of us live alone

MORE people than ever are living on their own in Scotland, fuelling fears of an epidemic of loneliness.

The average household size has shrunk to its lowest level and those living alone make up the biggest category.

A total of 903,000 households, 36 per cent, consisted of a single adult last year, according to a report by National Records of Scotland.

The proportion of Scots living by themselves 50 years ago was 19 per cent.

The Households and Dwellings in Scotland 2021 report stated: ‘Average household size has been decreasing over a long period, though at a slower rate in more recent years.

‘The changes in household size and type over time are partly due to changes in the way we live. They also reflect the general ageing of Scotland’s population.

‘Older people are more likely to live alone or in smaller households. In addition, a growing proportion of older people are living in their own homes rather than in care homes.’

The proportion of over-65s in Scotland is similar to that in England,

but the number living alone north of the Border is higher.

Brian Sloan, chief executive at Age Scotland, said: ‘With more older people living alone, we are really concerned about an epidemic of loneliness.

‘One person on every street in Scotland feels lonely most or all of the time.

‘We already knew loneliness and isolation were huge problems among older people in Scotland even before the Covid-19 pandemic but our latest research showed that two-thirds of older people living alone say the pandemic has made them lonelier.

‘We need to make sure communities are fit for an ageing population and grow local services and amenities to better support older people, such as health, transport, shops and social connections.’

There were 2.53million households in Scotland last year, an increase of 15 per cent from 20 years ago, fuelled by the growth in population.

Each had an average of 2.12 occupants, down from 2.27 in 2001 and 2.19 in 2011, mirroring a longterm trend.

Only 30 per cent of households had three or more people in them, the lowest proportion in the UK.