More than one-in-ten children have reported suffering loneliness in the Office of National Statistics’ first-ever report into child loneliness.
A total of 11.3 per cent of children surveyed reported that they were often lonely with the feeling most prevalent for kids aged between 10 and 12.
The statistics also uncovered a link between loneliness and kids who eat free school meals – that was the case for more than 25 per cent of kids receiving dinners, while just five per cent of kids without reported feeling lonely.
Why should having free school meals be relevant in our new report on loneliness? Find out https://t.co/b1aBhn6bhA pic.twitter.com/VHZGJZTbXq
— Office for National Statistics (ONS) (@ONS) December 5, 2018
There was a similar disparity between the proportion of inner-city kids who struggled with loneliness compared to those growing up in rural areas. Just five per cent of countryside kids feeling lonely, while city life left almost 20 per cent of kids feeling that way.
Statisticians also uncovered correlation between poor health and family relationships and feelings of loneliness.