Combating loneliness

There is growing recognition that loneliness is a serious problem, with far reaching implications, not just for individuals, but also for wider communities, which merits the attention of local authorities.

A recent systematic review found that loneliness can increase the risk of premature death by 30 per cent and a study from Brigham Young University, in Utah, USA, revealed loneliness can be more harmful to health than smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

In this guide, we set out a range of actions for effectively combating loneliness building on the latest evidence. The guide focuses on older people but we anticipate that the recommendations will be beneficial to other age groups.