Over half of Brits feel lonely at least once a month… but are ashamed to admit it, study shows
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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The research was commissioned by audio brand, Pure
Credit: SWNS
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,
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Read more on Motors
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.'
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Most read in Motors
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.
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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).
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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.
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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).
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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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Regionally, Londoners were most likely to report feeling
Credit: SWNS
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The Irish Sun
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Over half of Brits feel lonely at least once a month… but are ashamed to admit it, study shows
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. Advertisement 2 The research was commissioned by audio brand, Pure Credit: SWNS 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, Advertisement Read more on Motors 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.' Advertisement Most read in Motors 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. Advertisement 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). Advertisement 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. 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Advertisement 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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For many, a diagnosis can be a relief, but also unravel mixed emotions and feelings of 'being different'. UNILAD went into administration in 2018, then was bought by the same company that had earlier bought LADBible for an undisclosed amount. Reports suggest the brand was valued at up to £40million. My celebrations included a trip to Las Vegas, a new tattoo (that I had no memory of getting in the first place) becoming But in 2018, I managed to kick the alcohol habit for good. Advertisement I attended my first I've been sober ever since, which is among the best decisions I've ever made. I'm now 36, living in Brighton, and I can confidently say that is the founder of LADbible and UNILAD and the host of the ADHD Chatter podcast. His book (Sheldon Press, £16.99) is out now. Parenting with ADHD PARENTING can be difficult at the best of times. But for ADHDers, it can often force them to prioritise areas where they traditionally struggle, such as organisation, planning and consistency. Given this, the thought of being responsible for one or more little humans may be daunting for anyone that has ADHD. After speaking to many ADHD parents on my podcast, ADHD Chatter, I discovered this to be a worry felt by many of us. With this in mind, I've worked with my wonderful guests and peers to put together three top tips on navigating life as an ADHD parent: Be aware of your own cognitive load The cognitive load you live with as an ADHDer doesn't go away when you become a parent – quite the opposite! Be aware of when your finite headspace is filling up, and take steps to protect it so that you can be there for yourself and your children. Some ways that you can create some extra headspace for yourself include limiting social media use, setting boundaries and saying 'no' to others, and asking for help when you need it. Keep a pen and paper – everywhere Invest in a clipboard, paper and (childproof) pen for every room in your house so that you can take calls and note down important appointments, such as hospital visits, as they come in. Don't leave remembering these up to chance! Let your kids know you've always got their back Take time to let your children know that you're on their team – and you always will be, no matter what. On a similar note, if your child also has ADHD, create an environment in which they can be their full, authentic self. Let them fidget, move around, pick up new hobbies and drop them when they lose interest, and get lost (within reason). As an ADHD adult, I still do all of these things! Above all, while I'm not yet a parent myself, one of the most important pieces of advice I could give to any current or future ADHD parents is to constantly tell their children what I wish somebody could have taken me aside and told me when I was growing up, struggling without being able to put my finger on why. 'Who you are is enough. And it always has been.'
