According to new research carried out by British Red Cross, the prevalence of loneliness in Scotland is rising.
The charity found that over half of Scots are currently limiting how much they socialise with others amid the worsening cost of living crisis.
A recent YouGov online poll organised by the British Red Cross found that 30 per cent of people feel more lonely than they did this time last year, despite the easing of covid restrictions.
READ MORE — DWP and Martin Lewis urge people of State Pension age to claim £278 a week benefit
Additionally, 84 per cent of Scots agreed that loneliness remains a major problem in the country, while 59 per cent said that they felt lonely at least some of the time.
Meanwhile, 89 per cent of respondents said they felt the cost of living crisis would make people feel more lonely, and 53 per cent stated they are restricting how much they socialise because of it.
In response, the British Red Cross has encouraged Scots who are feeling lonely to get in touch with its Connecting With You service, which is funded by the Scottish Government.
The service sees experienced volunteers help people by providing telephone, online, and in-person support to rebuild their confidence, feel better connected, and get more involved in their local community.
Sandhya Kumar, 58, from Moodiesburn, Glasgow, used the service as she spends long periods alone in the house due to ill health and her husband being out at work all day.
She was told about the Connecting With You service by her GP, and first made contact during the 2020 Covid lockdown.
Sandhya said: “I was struggling with loneliness because my husband works long hours running our business, a shop.
“I have underlying health conditions and I can’t work anymore otherwise I would be there working next to him.
“It means I’m in the house myself for over 14 hours a day, and I don’t have any other family.
“I didn’t qualify for a lot of the services that are out there as most of them will only take you on if you are over 60.
“I was really struggling, but since I connected with the British Red Cross I’ve just not looked back.
“When I was at my lowest, they were the ones that brought me back up again."
She added: “I would get phone calls twice a week just to see how I was doing. They also helped me to get motivated to do things in the garden.
“I still do a regular Zoom quiz with them about once a fortnight, and I always look forward to it. Because of this I’ve connected with lots of lovely people and befrienders.
“The British Red Cross has touched so many lives and hearts. It’s helped me feel less alone and made me realise I’m not the only one struggling with loneliness - there are so many other people I’ve met through this that are in the same boat.
“I feel so much more positive now because I know somebody is there and I’m not alone.
“They make you feel so comfortable, and you can speak to them about anything and everything.”
Policy and public affairs manager with the British Red Cross Kenneth Watt said: “Too many people are lonely in Scotland, and this has only got worse since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
“These latest findings show that the rising cost of living is also leading to greater social isolation.
“Everybody can get lonely, but there are many simple steps to better protect people from loneliness and we are committed to ensuring that people have somewhere to turn to."
He continued: “Now is the time to think about the kind of society we want to become as we face these challenges and emerge from them on the other side.
“It is vital that support is targeted at the most vulnerable and that further efforts are made to ensure all of us enjoy those quality human connections that enrich our lives.”
If you are aged 18 and over, living in Scotland and experiencing loneliness or social isolation, contact the Connecting With You service on 0300 30 36 077 between 10am – 4pm, Monday to Friday.
