Over half of Brits feel lonely at least once a month… but are ashamed to admit it, study shows

The Sun

2 days ago

OVER half of Brits feel lonely at least once a month – but are ashamed to admit it.
A poll of 2,000 adults revealed 56 per cent would rarely or never consider talking to someone else about how isolated they felt.
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Reasons for this included not wanting to burden others (37 per cent), not believing anyone else will understand (21 per cent), and not wanting to appear vulnerable (21 per cent).
This may be a reflection on the strength of their support networks, as a quarter (24 per cent) described theirs as lacking – and a further 13 per cent didn't have one at all.
Instead, those who feel lonely are likely to distract themselves through entertainment, such as watching TV (47 per cent), going on social media (22 per cent), or listening to the radio (19 per cent).
The research was commissioned by audio brand, Pure, which is partnering with Marmalade Trust, a Bristol -based charity dedicated to raising awareness of loneliness and helping people build meaningful connections.
As part of this partnership and in support of Loneliness Awareness Week, Pure will be donating 150 radios to individuals across the UK who are looking for support through a period of loneliness.
Dr Lalitaa [COR], behaviouralist psychologist and expert in emotional wellbeing, commented: 'Loneliness remains a taboo subject, often shrouded in shame and stigma.
'But human connection is a basic psychological need – one that's increasingly difficult to fulfil in today's fast-paced, digital world.
'It's encouraging to see initiatives like this that provide simple, tangible comfort and help people feel part of something again.'
Tara Fisher, COO from Marmalade Trust added: "Loneliness is a natural human emotion that we are all likely to experience in our lifetime.
'But there is still a stigma around loneliness, which means a significant portion of the population are reluctant to speak about these feelings to others – either because they don't feel they have anyone to talk to or are worried about doing so.'
Despite these feelings of shame around loneliness, nearly eight in 10 (79 per cent) acknowledged it as a common phenomenon among the general population.
Women were also found to feel lonelier than men – with only 16 per cent of women saying they never feel lonely, compared to 26 per cent of men.
But perceptions about the generations most affected were not entirely accurate – with 19 per cent of all respondents believing the Silent Generation (born 1928-1945) is impacted the most by loneliness.
However, Gen Zs (born 1996-2011) specifically reported feeling lonelier than any other age group, with one third feeling this way a few times a week and 11 per cent even experiencing this every single day.
This compares to 19 per cent of the whole population dealing with this a few times a week and only six per cent every day.
Worries about being judged (25 per cent) and dismissed (21 per cent) were also higher among Gen Zs – as were desires to socialise more (53 per cent) and make more friends (42 per cent).
This compares to the 'famously lonely' Silent Generation – four in 10 of whom reported usually only going an hour maximum without speaking to someone else.
A fifth of all those asked agreed on one day as the limit for not speaking to another person before feeling lonely – yet 23 per cent go this long, or longer, without talking to anyone regularly.
Regionally, Londoners were most likely to report feeling lonely – with 33 per cent of those living in the capital saying they feel lonely at least a few times a week.
Nearly four in 10 (39 per cent) of all respondents also claimed to feel lonelier now than they did five years ago, primarily because it's now harder to meet people.
Other reasons included changes in personal relationships (23 per cent), financial stress (22 per cent), and lower self-esteem (20 per cent).
The top locations people reported feeling lonely were also established as at home alone (59 per cent), in a crowd (27 per cent), and when having a meal by themselves (26 per cent).
Perhaps to stave off this lonely feeling, over half (52 per cent) are more likely to listen to the radio when at home alone, according to OnePoll.com data.
Other than listening to the news and their favourite music, 38 per cent utilise their broadcast boxes for background noise (38 per cent), company (20 per cent), and making the house feel less quiet (19 per cent).
A further 16 per cent specified listening to the radio helps them to feel less lonely, with 15 per cent liking to hear the sound of other people's voices, and 13 per cent enjoying being part of the conversation.
Stations providing the best company were also identified as pop music (30 per cent), oldies music (24 per cent), and talk radio stations (21 per cent).
Hubert Eiter, spokesperson for Pure, which is donating £5 for every Pure radio sold between June 9 – July 9, 2025 in support of Marmalade Trust, said: 'Pure has been active in supporting loneliness charities over many years and we are proud to partner with the Marmalade Trust this year.
'It's great to see that everyday listening can bring a lot of comfort to people, as it has the power to immediately make a room feel livelier and less quiet – we love the fact that radio is able to provide some company for those who feel lonely from time to time.'
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