Two in five adults in the UK feel lonelier under the lockdown amid the tight limits it has placed on social contact, new research has revealed.
Survey results by the British Red Cross paint a stark picture of Britain as a society where a substantial minority lack regular face-to-face interaction and feel alone and uncared for.
In a survey of 2,000 adults that was representative of the population, the charity found that 28% worried that no one would notice if something happened to them.
Even more – 33% – said they feared that their feelings of loneliness would get worse in the years ahead.
“The coronavirus crisis is exposing how a lack of meaningful connections can increase feelings of loneliness, and many people fear they will become lonelier in the future,” the British Red Cross said.
Other key findings showed that 37% of adults said their neighbours were like strangers to them and 31% feel they have no one to turn to when they are confronting a problem.
The survey was undertaken by pollsters Opinium between 12 and 15 May, when the full range of lockdown restrictions was still in place.
It also found that at that time a third of adults – 33% – had not had what they regarded as a meaningful conversation in the previous week.
The government has acknowledged that the pandemic has been accompanied by a rise in loneliness. Earlier this week the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport set up a £5m fund to award grants to charities and local groups to tackle the problem.
Zoë Abrams, the British Red Cross’s executive director, urged ministers and the NHS to increase the number of people going to see a GP who are offered “social prescribing” rather than drugs or psychological help.
It involves people being encouraged to take up new social activities, such as dance, bowls, bingo or gardening as a way of having more social contact. It is widely seen as a useful way of reducing isolation, loneliness and depression.
“For many, life before lockdown was lonely already. We want to make sure no one is left behind as restrictions ease,” said Abrams.
The survey also found that people from BAME backgrounds, parents, young people, people with long-term health problems and those on low incomes were more likely to feel lonely.
Earlier this month the Guardian revealed that scores of people who have died at home during the pandemic have lain undiscovered for up to two weeks.
That prompted Prof Martin Marshall, the chair of the Royal College of GPs, to lament the existence of “an epidemic of loneliness” in Britain.
Claire Murdoch, NHS England’s national director for mental health, said: “It is vital that people do not undervalue their mental health during this really difficult time, and reaching out to talk to someone is a small gesture that can make a world of difference. The NHS has been here to help people who need our support throughout the pandemic, so if you or a loved one is suffering please come forward and seek help.”
