Just how lonely are Worcester people?

According to an Office for National Statistics survey conducted between October 14 and February 22 only 4.4 percent of adults in the city said they were 'often or always lonely'.

However, when asked in the same survey if their well-being had been affected in the last seven days by the pandemic.

Of those in Worcester who said it had, 44.6% attributed this to being lonely – across Britain, the average was 38.6%.

The ONS said young people were more likely to suffer from this form of “lockdown loneliness”.

Tom Madders, director of campaigns at mental health charity YoungMinds, said young people have experienced loneliness and isolation as Covid-19 has limited their social lives, education, or led to job losses.

“It’s important that young people know where to go to get support for their mental health if they are struggling and that they can access help as soon as they need it,” he added.

“As we emerge from the pandemic, we’d like the Government to introduce a national network of early intervention hubs, with one in every community, where young people can find mental health support alongside advice on education and employment.”

“The widespread disruption of the pandemic has highlighted that loneliness can be driven not solely by the absence of friends and family, but also the lack of face-to-face connection in the workplace and in the communities around us,” said Lucy Schonegevel, associate director for policy and practice at the charity Rethink Mental Illness.

Developing community schemes and support groups could help people recover from the pandemic, she added.

Ms Schonegevel also called for more social prescribing, whereby health professionals can recommend activities such as gardening or sports to improve people’s wellbeing, as a possible alternative to more traditional treatments.