In response to today’s Office for National Statistics Inequalities in Social Capital by Age and Sex figures, Janet Morrison, Chief Executive of Independent Age, the older people’s charity, said:
“The news that 1 in 10 people over 75 have no close friends at all comes as a sharp reminder that, without action, living longer lives may mean living a lonelier life. For older men in particular, the situation can be even worse, with 1 in 7 over 75 saying they don't have a close friend. Worryingly, a quarter of the oldest men say they don't feel they can rely a lot on family members. Loneliness is known to have profound effects on our health and mental wellbeing so today's figures should cause us to reflect on what more we can do to help family members, neighbours and friends so that fewer older people report feeling lonely.”