Londoners are among the best connected in Britain yet some of the capital’s communities are also the loneliest, new research reveals.
Analysis from the 2026 Belonging Barometer, based on a survey of 10,001 adults by Opinium, has revealed London is one of the strongest regions in the UK for forming friendships and fostering a sense of belonging.
Just 5.9% of Londoners report having no close friends, almost half the national average of 10.6%. The capital also has the lowest share of people with only one close friend, at 4.2%, compared with 7.2% across the UK.
But findings show a more complicated picture for the capital. London accounts for half of the ten constituencies where people are most likely to say they often feel lonely, with deep pockets of isolation within the city.
Bethnal Green and Stepney tops the national list, with 39.8% of residents saying they often feel lonely. It is followed by Poplar and Limehouse (38.8%), Stratford and Bow (37.5%), Hackney South and Shoreditch (37.3%), and Holborn and St Pancras (37.1%).
At the same time, London dominates the areas where residents are least likely to lack close friendships.
Eight of the ten constituencies with the lowest proportion of people reporting no close friends are in the capital, including Battersea, Chelsea and Fulham, Tooting, Clapham and Brixton Hill, Putney, Cities of London and Westminster, Bermondsey and Old Southwark, and Kensington and Bayswater.
There are stark contrasts in the capital. It is a city where strong social networks exist alongside some of the UK’s most acute experiences of loneliness.
Kim Samuel, founder of the Belonging Forum, said: “London is a friendly city. High levels of human connection clearly shines though in our extensive study, with proportionally far fewer Londoners experiencing social isolation.
“But London is not immune from the wider urban pattern we see across the UK. Inner-city and university areas, where populations are younger and more transient, tend to report higher levels of loneliness and disconnection, and parts of London face exactly that challenge.
“What makes London stand out is the strength of its foundations for belonging. Londoners are more likely to report strong connection to where they live, and they make greater use of parks, museums, libraries and other public spaces than people elsewhere. But concerns around safety, overcrowding and confidence are stopping some people from fully taking part.
“This is the story of a city with huge social strengths, but where those sparks of hope are not shared equally. The Belonging Barometer shows a clear link between local socio-economic conditions and levels of belonging, with the strongest scores concentrated in more affluent areas.
“The challenge now is to make sure London’s opportunities for connection are open, welcoming and accessible to everyone.”
Data shows Londoners are also more likely to use ‘third spaces’ outside of home and work in order to connect.
Nearly four in ten Londoners spend free time in parks, at 39.8% compared with 34.8% nationally, while Londoners are also far more likely to use gyms or fitness centres, at 30.5% compared with 18.9%.
The gap is also clear for museums and galleries, used by 24.1% of Londoners compared with 15.9% nationally, and libraries, used by 21.6% compared with 14.3%.
Londoners are also the least likely to say they spend almost all their free time at home, at just 1.3% compared with 3.9% nationally.
Meanwhile, the capital ranks first among regions for people who say they strongly belong to their neighbourhood or street, their local area, and the city or county where they live.
In London, 62.1% say they strongly belong to their neighbourhood or street, compared with 55.8% nationally.
Two thirds of Londoners, 66.0%, say they strongly belong to their local area, compared with 57.2% nationally, while 70.2% say they strongly belong to their city or county, compared with 59.2% nationally.
Londoners are also the most likely in the UK to say they strongly belong to Europe, at 60.6% compared with 42.9% nationally, and to the world, at 65.4% compared with 47.7% nationally.
Richmond Park records the highest overall in the Belonging Index — combining life satisfaction, loneliness, safety and connection — followed by Twickenham and Wimbledon, with Kingston and Surbiton also among the areas where belonging appears strongest nationally.
