Half of Young Women in the UK Feel Lonely, New Poll Reveals 

• Nearly half of women aged 18-24 (49%) report feeling lonely, compared to 29% of the general population. 
• Young women also report lower life satisfaction than men in the same age group (55% vs. 67%). 
• The 2025 Belonging Barometer poll explores social isolation and strategies to build belonging in the UK. 
• The Belonging Forum is calling for public, private and third sector collaboration on the world’s first Charter for Belonging to combat social isolation. 

London, UK, 5 March 2025 – For the second year in a row, young women in the UK continue to report higher levels of loneliness than the general population, according to the 2025 Belonging Barometer. 

The poll of more than 10,000 people revealed that whilst 29% of the general population feel lonely often or some of the time, this is highest amongst women aged 18-24 (49%). 

The study also found that life satisfaction among young women is declining. While 67% of men aged 18-24 report being satisfied with their lives, this drops to 55% for women in the same age group – a 9% decrease from last year (2024: 64%). 

Although nearly a third (31%) of 18-24-year-old women report having more than 5-9 close friends – higher than any other age group – only 59% are satisfied with the quality of their friendships, compared to 69% of the general population. 

Women aged 18-24 also feel more socially isolated in their relationships with politics and their local community. They are less likely to believe the government represents them and less likely to interact with their neighbours. They also report lower levels of daily happiness than any other group (31% rate their happiness of 0-4 out of ten vs 21% of the general population). 

This year’s Belonging Barometer again finds young women feel the least safe, particularly when walking alone after dark. The proportion of young women reporting this concern has risen from 40% last year to 46% in 2025. 

Kim Samuel, Founder of the Belonging Forum and author of On Belonging: Finding Connection in an Age of Isolation, said: 

“Our research continues to highlight the difficult reality for young women. They are lonelier than the rest of the population, feel less secure in their friendships, and believe they are not represented by those elected to speak for them. 

“To build a world where everyone belongs, we must tackle loneliness and social isolation head-on. 

“That’s why we are bringing together public, private and third sector leaders to create the world’s first Charter for Belonging – providing practical, lasting solutions to strengthen social connections.” 

Loneliness is a significant component of the broader issue of social isolation, which erodes feelings of belonging and contributes to broader issues like poverty, inequality and discrimination.1 Belonging can be defined as the experience of meaningful connections to people, to communities, to the natural world, to a sense of purpose and to social, political and economic decision-making. 

1 On Belonging: Finding Connection in an Age of Isolation (Abrams Press 2022) by Kim Samuel 

The insights from the 2025 Belonging Barometer will inform the world’s first Charter for Belonging, setting out guiding principles and best practices to build belonging at personal, community and systemic levels. 

ENDS 

NOTES TO EDITORS 

For media inquiries and interviews, or further information, please contact: communications@belongingforum.org 

About the Belonging Barometer: 

• The research was carried out by Opinium on behalf of the Belonging Forum and surveyed a nationally representative sample of 10,000 UK adults. The survey was conducted between 27 November and 9 December 2024. 
• The polling analysed figures from the general population and was broken down by demographics 
• including gender, age, socioeconomic status, and working status. 
• The research used multi-level regression and post-stratification (MRP) polling analysis of several questions, giving insights into them at a parliamentary constituency level across the UK. 
• The full findings of the second edition of the Belonging Barometer can be viewed here. 
• The first edition results are available to view here. 

About the Belonging Forum: 

The Belonging Forum is dedicated to understanding and collaborating to create practical solutions that combat isolation and foster belonging. Our research from around the world shows that interconnected, inclusive communities are the foundation of a thriving society, where everyone feels at home. We envision a world in which everyone can realise their right to belong through the experience of meaningful connections to people, 

to communities, to the natural world, to a sense of purpose and to social, political and economic decision-making. 

About Kim Samuel: 

Kim Samuel is an author, educator, and movement-builder. As founder of the Belonging Forum, formerly the Samuel Centre for Social Connectedness, she leads research, advocacy, and action to combat social isolation and build belonging around the world. 

Kim is a Research Fellow at the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative, University of Oxford, and an Associate Fellow at Green Templeton College, Oxford. She is the author of On Belonging: Finding Connection in an Age of Isolation