Over half of Britons experience loneliness at least once a month – but are too embarrassed to admit it. Nearly four in 10 confessed to feeling more isolated now than they did five years ago. A survey of 2,000 adults revealed that almost two thirds of Brits would rarely or never consider discussing their feelings of being alone with friends and family.
Reasons for this include not wanting to impose on others, not believing anyone else will understand, and not wanting to appear vulnerable. It may also reflect the strength of their support networks, as a quarter described theirs as inadequate – and a further 13% didn’t have one at all. Instead, those who feel lonely are likely to distract themselves through entertainment, such as watching telly, browsing social media, or tuning into the radio.
The research was commissioned by audio brand, Pure, which is partnering with Marmalade Trust, a Bristol-based charity dedicated to raising awareness of loneliness and helping people forge meaningful connections.
As part of this partnership and in support of Loneliness Awareness Week, Pure will be donating 150 radios to individuals across the UK who are seeking support during a period of loneliness.
Dr Lalitaa, a behavioural psychologist and expert in emotional wellbeing, commented: « Human connection is a basic psychological need – one that’s increasingly difficult to fulfil in today’s fast-paced, digital world. It’s encouraging to see initiatives like this that provide simple, tangible comfort and help people feel part of something again. »
Tara Fisher, COO of Marmalade Trust, commented: « Loneliness is a natural human emotion that we are all likely to experience in our lifetime. « But there is still a stigma around loneliness, which means a significant portion of the population are reluctant to speak about these feelings to others – either because they don’t feel they have anyone to talk to or are worried about doing so. »
Despite this stigma, eight out of 10 people recognise loneliness as a common feeling, with one in five respondents agreeing that a day without speaking to another person was enough to trigger feelings of loneliness.
The study found that women tend to feel lonelier than men, with only 16% of women claiming they never feel lonely, compared to 26% of men.
The research also revealed that Gen Z, those born between 1996-2011, reported feeling lonelier than any other age group. A third of this demographic admitted to feeling lonely more than once a week, while 11% said they experienced loneliness every day.
In terms of regional differences, Londoners were most likely to report feeling lonely, with 33% of residents admitting to feeling lonely at least a few times a week.
The most common places where people reported feeling lonely were when they were home alone (59%), in a crowd (27%), and eating a meal by themselves (26%).
According to data from OnePoll.com, many people enjoy tuning into the radio when they’re home alone. Aside from catching up on the news and listening to their favourite tunes,16% shared that listening to the radio helps alleviate feelings of loneliness.
Hubert Eiter, spokesperson for Pure, which is donating £5 for every Pure radio sold between June 9 – July 9, 2025 in support of Marmalade Trust, commented: « Pure has been active in supporting loneliness charities over many years and we are proud to partner with the Marmalade Trust this year.
« It’s great to see that everyday listening can bring a lot of comfort to people, as it has the power to immediately make a room feel livelier and less quiet – we love the fact that radio is able to provide some company for those who feel lonely from time to time. »
