The number of people living alone has increased by 14%
Loneliness and isolation: The number of people living alone has increased by 14%
New insight from COHO, the HMO management platform, reveals that almost a third of households in England are occupied by just one person, with the number of people living on their own increasing by as much as 14% in the past ten years.
Loneliness and social isolation in the UK have climbed steadily over recent years. The number of people who are chronically lonely is estimated to sit at 3.83 million, and 7.1% of the population say that they are always or often lonely. In 2020, this figure was 6%. In fact, according to the Centre for Social Justice, nearly six in ten UK adults report feeling lonely sometimes, often, or always.
Perhaps most striking is the fact that young adults, aged 16-29, are now more than twice as likely to feel lonely as those aged over 70.
Now, COHO’s analysis of ONS data shows that one major cause of this growing isolation and loneliness is likely to be a significant increase in the number of people who are living on their own. As of 2024 (latest data available), more than 6.9 million single-person households are now estimated to exist in England, marking an increase of 8.8% since 2015.
In the South East and South West, the increase stands at 14.1%, while in the North East, the number of people living alone has grown by 13.7%.
As a result, single-person households now account for 28.9% of all English households, marking an increase of 0.7% since 2015.
Single-person households account for more than 30% of homes in the North West (33%), North East (32.5%), South West (30.7%), and Yorkshire & Humber (30.2%), while the biggest decade increases have been recorded in the North West (+1.9%), South West (+1.7%), and South East (+1.5%).
What are the impacts of living alone?
Loneliness is shown to have detrimental effects on our physical health, increasing early mortality risk by about 26%, with additional physical effects including elevated blood pressure, stress, poor sleep, and weaker immune responses.
Perhaps more pressing is the negative impact it has on our mental health, with chronic loneliness strongly linked to depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, dementia onset, and even psychosis.
These personal impacts also have a profound economic impact on the nation as a whole. Some estimates suggest that the cost of loneliness, when accounting for things like health and social care, education, and employment, rises beyond £32 billion per year.
It is also known to erode community cohesion and resilience, causing division and a damaging sense of disconnect with those we share the world with.
COHO Founder and CEO, Vann Vogstad, commented:
“The rise in people living alone is not just a housing issue, it’s a social one. With more and more people working remotely and social media or other online spaces playing a huge role in the way we connect with others, those who live alone can sorely miss the interactions and companionship that is proven to enrich our lives and our health. We are passionate in our belief that Shared Living is a powerful force for good. It creates daily opportunities for immediate connection and community. And when you have good compatibility with housemates, it can also pave the way for long-term friendships that sustain us through life.
More people of all ages are recognising the value of living with housemates, but we’re also seeing an increase in those who live alone. Here at COHO, our responsibility is to help people understand just how brilliant Shared Living is, a big part of which is dispelling and overcoming many of the stigmas and preconceptions that currently exist in the public understanding of what it means to have housemates. Shared Living has the power to transform lives, not just living arrangements.”
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