Co-op Foundation · 2021
This report explores how young people aged 10–25 in the UK experienced loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic and the actions they took to support themselves and others. Key findings show that 73% of young people felt lonely at least occasionally during lockdown, with more than half saying it had worsened since March 2020. Despite this, many young people demonstrated co-operative behaviours — reaching out to friends, making new connections, and taking action to help peers — with 82% having taken at least one action to help someone who felt lonely. The report highlights both the resilience of young people and ongoing barriers such as stigma around discussing loneliness.