Rates of lockdown loneliness highest among young people

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is mapping the prevalence of loneliness during the health crisis and found that lockdowns, social distancing and restrictions on gatherings has had the biggest impact on 16- to 24-year-olds.

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The research found that this age group were five times more likely than older people to experience ‘lockdown loneliness’, which is defined as having their well-being affected by the pandemic, through feeling lonely over a seven-day period.

Young people living in urban areas outside of London are more likely than those in rural settings to often feel lonely while lockdown restrictions are in place. Loneliness is worse in areas with higher levels of unemployment, the ONS also found.

“Places with a lower average age generally experienced higher rates of loneliness during the pandemic, that is, a greater percentage of people in that area said they ‘often or always’ felt lonely,” said the ONS.

“Higher rates of loneliness reported by young people are particularly associated with urban areas outside London.”

Areas with the highest rates of people of all ages feeling lonely include North Lincolnshire, Bridgend and Blackburn with Darwen.

Other areas with high lockdown loneliness rates include Middlesbrough, Hartlepool and Mansfield.

“It is sadly no surprise that young people are the age group most likely to be affected by ‘lockdown loneliness’,” said Nick Crofts, chief executive of grant giver the Co-op Foundation, which awards funding to projects that tackle loneliness.

“Over more than a year of social distancing, they’ve seen schools and colleges close while physical interactions with each other have been hugely restricted. Every adult, parent and policy maker should be aware of the impact this can have on young people’s wellbeing.

“We all have a role to play in providing support as restrictions are lifted and we return to a more ‘normal’ life.

Young people, who do not have an underlying health condition, have yet to be targeted through the government’s vaccination programme, which is seen as a key way of easing lockdown and other social distancing measures.

This week the government announced that under 30s will be offered an alternative Covid-19 vaccine to the AstraZeneca jab due to concerns around links to rare blood clots.

Women and young people were among those most affected by the clots, which occurred in 79 cases out of 20 million doses.