Feeling alone this Blue Monday?

January is loneliest month of the year say Red Cross and Co-op

Over a quarter of people across the UK say January is the month they feel most lonely, providing further evidence that today’s Blue Monday could be the most depressing day of the year.

Research commissioned by the British Red Cross and the Co-op reveals more than a quarter of people (26 per cent) surveyed across the UK, said they felt loneliest in January. This outstrips any other month - including December - showing that loneliness is not just an issue at Christmas.

Figures further reveal that New Year loneliness affects all ages, not just older people normally associated with this issue. A third of those questioned aged 45-54 (middle age) named January as their loneliest month, with 60 per cent of all respondents in this age bracket reporting feelings of loneliness at some point throughout the year.

Mike Adamson, British Red Cross chief executive, said: “As these figures show, social isolation can strike at any time. Changes common in many people’s lives such as becoming a mother, getting divorced or separated, experiencing health and mobility issues, retiring or suffering bereavement, can all be triggers for loneliness. Without the right support, loneliness can be for life, not just for Christmas. This year-round problem needs a year-round response. That’s why, with the Co-op, we’ve declared 2018 a year of action on loneliness.

“Over the next twelve months, and beyond, we’ll provide vital support to change the lives of thousands of people directly affected, and ensure a lasting impact for our communities and wider society too. As part of these actions we are creating, and leading, a new Loneliness Action Group to secure a lasting legacy for the Jo Cox Commission on Loneliness.”

The statistics add to a wider study by the Red Cross and Co-op revealing epidemic levels of loneliness and social isolation in the UK, with over nine million adults of all ages feeling always or often lonely.