An estimated 1.8 million adults in the UK are expected to spend Christmas Day alone even though they don’t want to, according to a new survey by the Salvation Army. The figure is equivalent to the combined populations of Birmingham and Glasgow.
The nationally representative survey of 4,384 adults, conducted with YouGov, also found that nearly one in 12 people had gone more than a month without a meaningful face-to-face conversation with another adult.
Andrew Wileman, the Salvation Army’s social isolation lead, said the findings were "much more serious than just missing out on festive fun".
"Connection is a basic human need. Isolation is the main reason people give for turning to The Salvation Army for help and the need for belonging is especially strong at Christmas," he said. "We often find that a cup of tea and a chat with someone at The Salvation Army is the only meaningful conversation some people have all week.”
The charity also warned about the dangers of isolation. “Shockingly, dying in social isolation is not unusual. Research estimates 8,000 to 9,000 people per year in the UK lie dead for a week or more before being discovered,” Wileman said.
Steve, 58, from Bangor, described his experience: “Some days I would try and leave the house and maybe walk to the chemist, but I couldn’t even bring myself to go inside. If the post office was too busy, I’d just walk away and not bother collecting my money. I’d rather starve than make any kind of contact with other people. Christmas time was especially difficult, and I would basically just stay at home for two weeks. Then one of my neighbours recommended my local Salvation Army’s befriending service and with their help I’ll be spending quality time with someone on Christmas Day instead of being stuck in the house.”
Wileman urged communities to support those at risk. “With the right support, no one should be cut off at Christmas,” he said.