Claims: Number of young people with no close friends has soared since 2014 in England
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- title: Number of young people with no close friends has soared since 2014 in England Source
- url: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/sep/01/thinktank-reports-epidemic-of-loneliness-among-englands-disconnected-young Source
- summary: Data paints sobering picture of 11- to 24-year-olds growing up in ‘bleak world’ shaped by pandemic and social media The number of young people with no close friends has risen fivefold since 2014 as a result of growing up in a “bleak world” dominated by austerity, the pandemic and social media. New research paints a sobering picture of how 11- to 24-year-olds in England are increasingly lonely, isolated and “disconnected” from themselves, peers and wider society. Continue reading... Source
- published: Tue, 01 Sep 2026 07:00:48 GMT Source