Official Statistics

Community Life Survey 2020/21 - Wellbeing and Loneliness

Analysis of questions from the Community Life Survey 2020/21 related to wellbeing and Loneliness

Applies to England

Documents

Details

Background

The Community Life Survey collects information about the wellbeing of adults (16+).

In October 2018, the Prime Minister launched the government’s first loneliness strategy for England. This statistical release presents the most recent headline findings on levels of loneliness, as well as support networks and social networks.

The Community Life Survey uses the Government Statistical Service (GSS) harmonised principle of loneliness and wellbeing. The estimates presented here are therefore comparable with other surveys that use this principle. However we advise taking caution when comparing measures from different surveys because differences in the methodology (e.g. mode/sampling approach) will all affect estimates. Other statistical data sets that use this definition, and therefore have comparative data, are available from the GSS guidance page. In Annex C there are details of further surveys that have adopted the Government Statistical Service harmonised principles of loneliness and Wellbeing.

Headline Measures – 2020/21

  • Average scores for life satisfaction, the extent to how worthwhile the respondent felt things in their life were and happiness have decreased since 2019/20.

  • Life satisfaction score was 6.9 (out of 10) in 2020/21, a decrease from 7.0 in 2019/20.

  • How happy people felt yesterday decreased from 7.0 (out of 10) in 2019/20 to 6.8 in 2020/21. This has trended downwards from 7.2 in 2015/16.

  • Whether people felt the things they did were worthwhile decreased to 7.1 (out of 10) in 2020/21 from 7.3 in 2020/21.

  • How anxious people felt yesterday at the time of survey completion averaged at 3.8 (out of 10), which was in line with the figure in 2019/20. This figure has trended upwards from 2015/16 where it was 3.3.

  • 6% of respondents (approximately 3 million people in England) said they felt lonely often/always. This is in line with reported loneliness from 2019/20.

  • Loneliness was higher for 16-24 year olds, the most deprived and those with a long term limiting illness or disability.

  • An indirect loneliness composite score was produced which found significantly higher loneliness scores for those with a long term limiting illness or disability compared to those without.

Further Data

Updates to this page

Published 29 July 2021

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