Co-op Foundation · 2021
This report presents findings from a UK-wide survey of 2,001 young people aged 10–25 on loneliness and its impacts. It finds that 71% of young people experience loneliness at least occasionally, with older age groups (16–25), those who have received free school meals, and those outside structured environments like school being most affected. Loneliness is strongly linked to poorer mental wellbeing and heightened anxiety, and significant stigma remains, particularly among boys and young men. The report highlights proactive social actions (such as spending time with friends or family) as the most effective ways young people combat loneliness, and calls on wider society to be kinder, more supportive, and more open about the issue.