Lonely people are more likely to be unemployed in the future, study finds

Experts call for ‘greater recognition of the wider societal impacts of loneliness in the working age population’

Nearly half of adults in England feel occasionally, sometimes or often lonely (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

People who report frequently feeling lonely are more likely to experience unemployment in the future, according to a new study.

Loneliness in adults increases the likelihood of being unemployed up to three years later by 17.5 per cent, researchers at the universities of Exeter and Leeds have found.

Experts said the findings suggest a need for “greater recognition of the wider societal impacts of loneliness in the working age population”.

Evidence suggests that loneliness can have wide-ranging effects on a person’s mental health and wellbeing and make them more prone to depression. Previous studies have also established a link between loneliness and cognitive decline.

The latest research, published in the BMC Public Health journal, is based on data from 15,000 people over the age of 16 who are participating in the Understanding Society Household Longitudinal study.

Academics analysed responses from wave nine of the study, undertaken between 2017 and 2019 – the first time questions on loneliness were included in the survey – and wave 10, which covered 2018 to 2020.

Loneliness was assessed through the question “how often do you feel lonely?”, with respondents choosing from “hardly ever/never”, “some of the time” or “often”. Only those who reported feeling lonely “often” were included in the study.

They were also asked to declare whether they were employed or unemployed.

People who felt lonely often were 16 per cent more likely to be unemployed between 2017 and 2019. The probability of unemployment among this group increased to 19.6 per cent between 2018 and 2020.

Experts said this is consistent with previous research which has described loneliness as a “public health epidemic with increasing prevalence over time”.

They cited existing studies which suggest the link between loneliness and unemployment may arise from reduced job search motivation and lower workplace performance among lonely people.

The authors of the study have called for greater research into this connection, arguing that the prevention or reduction of loneliness in working-age people has the potential to decrease excess unemployment.

Nia Morrish, a researcher at the University of Exeter commented: “Decreased loneliness could mitigate unemployment, and employment abate loneliness, which may in turn relate positively to other factors including health and quality of life.

“Thus, particular attention should be paid to loneliness with additional support from employers and government to improve health and wellbeing.

“Our research was largely conducted pre-pandemic, however we suspect this issue may be even more pressing, with more people working from home and potentially experiencing isolation because of anxieties around covid.”

The Office for National Statistics collected data on loneliness during the pandemic, estimating that 7.2 per cent of UK adults felt lonely “often” or “always” between October 2020 and February 2021.

This represented an increase of 1.1 million people since data was collected in May 2020.