Over a million people in the UK aged over 65 now experience chronic loneliness. This figure will only rise as our population ages. And research shows that severe loneliness affects people across their life course, including children and young people (Hypersocial days are here again!, 3 October).
Chronic loneliness is as bad for our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day and as damaging as obesity and physical inactivity. It is linked with depression, dementia and high blood pressure alongside a number of other conditions. Loneliness impacts on our struggling health and social care system, with evidence showing that those living with loneliness are far more likely to visit their local doctor or A&E. New research shows the health cost alone of loneliness is equivalent to some £12,000 per person over 15 years.
National and local policymakers are now waking up. Health and wellbeing boards across England are making loneliness a priority and the Welsh and Scottish governments have recently announced commitments to develop national cross-governmental strategies to address loneliness and social isolation.
We are calling on the UK government to follow suit and commit to the development of a UK-wide strategy for tackling loneliness and social isolation to help end this growing crisis.
Marcus Rand Director, Campaign to End Loneliness, Janet Morrison Chief executive, Independent Age, David McCullough Chief executive, Royal Voluntary Service, Paul Cann Chief executive, Age UK Oxfordshire, Richard Kramer Deputy CEO, Sense, Sophie Andrews Chief executive, The Silver Line, Susan Cooley Lead for Age-Friendly Manchester, Sue Murphy Statutory deputy leader, Manchester city council, Tracey Robbins UK delivery manager, Eden Project Communities, Miriam Christie Campaign to End Loneliness
• Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com
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