Christmas is not the happiest time of the year for many people (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Up to 32 million Britons could feel lonely and isolated this Christmas.
Ministers have been urged to tackle the country’s “loneliness epidemic” as the latest research shows swathes of the population leading isolated lives.
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The Centre for Social Justice warns that Christmas is the “worst of times” for many people. It describes a “shocking world where Brits face a holiday period empty of friends and family”.
Nearly six in 10 adults feel lonely most, often or some of the time, according to research by Whitestone Insight.
The think tank warns that “loneliness is endemic and getting worse”. It claims this “leaves lives marked by sadness and despair, without the fundamental relationships essential for true flourishing”.
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There is sharp concern that 22 per cent of adults feel “existentially lonely and fundamentally separated from the rest of the world”.
In further evidence of the strain facing people across the country, nearly half of adults (47 per cent) did not believe that “most people are happy”. Fewer than half of adults (44 per cent) thought that “most people can be trusted”.
Claiming that “loneliness is a public health emergency”, the CSJ states that the “effects of loneliness and social isolation have been shown comparable to smoking, obesity and physical inactivity.”
It claims that loneliness is estimated to “cost employers ￡2.5 billion per year” as a result of factors including ill-health, depression and lost productivity.
The think tank wants the Government to take action to strengthen family relationships, tackle “acute” causes of loneliness among older people, ensure planning reforms lead to “well-designed communities” and address “increasing poverty”.
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Senior researcher Josh Nicholson said: “For lots of people, Christmas is the happiest part of the year. It is when we are most likely to be spending time with our friends and families.
“However, for too many of us this is the worst of times. For the lonely, the Christmas season is a painful reminder of their own isolation.
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“Instead of goodwill and festive cheer, it is a month full of emptiness and loneliness. More must be done by the Government in 2025 to tackle this epidemic of loneliness.”
A Government spokeswoman said: “The festive period can be a difficult time for those who may be experiencing increased levels of loneliness, so it’s important we try to stay connected. We would encourage everyone to undertake small acts of kindness such as writing a letter, visiting a neighbour, or putting in a call to a loved one which can help alleviate the feelings of loneliness at this time of year.
“We are taking action to tackle loneliness by supporting a range of organisations through the Tackling Loneliness Hub, providing advice through the Better Health: Every Mind Matters campaign, and providing grants via the Know Your Neighbourhood Fund to widen participation in volunteering and tackle loneliness in 27 disadvantaged areas across England.”