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More than half of social housing residents experience loneliness, survey finds

More than half of social housing residents were experiencing loneliness at the end of last year, according to a new survey from the Resident Voice Index.

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Picture: Getty
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Social housing residents under 35 were most likely to report feeling lonely #UKhousing

Based on responses from more than 4,100 social housing residents, the survey found that adults under the age of 35 were the loneliest overall and more likely to fall into “extreme” loneliness.

A third of adults from this age group said they felt lonely often or always, compared to just 16% before the pandemic. 

Published in a report titled Community Support & Life After Lockdown, the survey is part of a new nationwide initiative from MRI Software that asks residents about their feelings around issues.

Respondents were asked about their views on how the pandemic impacted their levels of loneliness, resilience and optimism. 

Under 35s also displayed the lowest levels of resilience and were more likely to dislike where they lived.  

Nearly four in 10 (37%) were notably pessimistic about their future.  


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In late 2021, 61% of social housing respondents classified themselves as being “resilient”, a 10% reduction on March 2020.  

Older respondents had higher levels of resilience, which shifted less as a result of the lockdowns. 

Villages came out on top as the best places to live in the UK for social housing residents.

Those living in villages liked where they lived the most, reported the lowest levels of loneliness (17%), and maintained the highest degrees of resilience compared with pre-lockdown levels.

Project lead Doug Sarney said: “These results really dig into the effects of the pandemic on UK social housing residents.  

“The report suggests interventions that housing providers and policy makers could make in order to improve levels of resilience, optimism and social cohesion whilst combatting loneliness in those areas where it is needed the most.” 

He added that younger people need support to “counter the fact that they have been significantly harder hit by the lockdown”.  

“Communities could also look to the life experiences of older residents to provide clues for elevated levels of resilience.  

“Furthermore, the answer to raising the quality of life may lie in recreating village-like environments in new urban development projects,” he said.  

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