Social isolation and loneliness guide
Measuring social isolation and loneliness
As mentioned elsewhere in this document it is important to note that social isolation and loneliness are different concepts and require different approaches to measurement.
Nationally, social isolation is reported through the Public Health Outcomes Framework where the measures draw on self-reported levels of social isolation for users of social care and carers (using social contact as a proxy).
As a result of the National Loneliness Strategy, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has developed recommended measures of loneliness for adults and children. The measures use four questions and these have been included in national surveys, including the Active Lives Survey 2021.
| Question | Response Categories |
|---|---|
| How often do you feel that you lack companionship? |
Hardly ever or never Some of the time Often |
| How often do you feel left out? |
Hardly ever or never Some of the time Often |
| How often do you feel isolated from others? |
Hardly ever or never Some of the time Often |
| How often do you feel lonely? |
Never Hardly ever Occasionally Some of the time Often/always |
The questions shown above are often also used as an indicator for social isolation as they include a question about how isolated people feel. Use them (and the ones developed for children and young people) as part of local surveys, or to evaluate the impact of local projects. For example, by including the questions in registration forms at the start of a 12-week project/intervention, and again as part of the evaluation at the end of the project it is possible to see if the project has had an impact on loneliness.
Social isolation and loneliness can often be reduced as a 'by product' from a range of activities, including physical activity – for example, a Walking Netball project (2018-2020) recorded a 2% reduction in loneliness.
The questions were designed for use on surveys and are not intended to be used as a tool for diagnosing loneliness in individuals.
Professionals may wish to use the questions as part of an individual assessment and to measure progress by repeating them after an agreed period of time.
It is important to remember that although the person may recognise that they feel isolated or lonely they may not be ready to address this. This is where strength-based conversations can give the person the opportunity to consider their options.