Loneliness Test: Am I Lonely?
A loneliness test asks how often you lack company, feel left out or feel isolated. This one uses the questions the ONS asks in UK surveys. It takes about a minute. You see your score next to the latest figures for adults in Great Britain. No score proves that you are lonely, and the test is not a diagnosis.
If you are asking yourself "am I lonely?", many people feel the same. In the latest ONS survey, 1 in 4 adults in Great Britain said they feel lonely at least some of the time.
The test uses the four questions the Office for National Statistics (ONS) recommends for UK surveys, with a longer ULS-8 option. It's free and you don't need to sign up. Your answers stay in this browser. We never see them and we never store them.
Take the loneliness test
Choose a scale
1. How often do you feel that you lack companionship?
2. How often do you feel left out?
3. How often do you feel isolated from others?
4. How often do you feel lonely?
Answer every question to see your result.
Want to meet new people this week?
Share a Siena dinner with a small group of new people in London
Every Thursday at 7:30pm in London. £12.99 a seat.
What does your loneliness test result mean?
Your score on the three ONS questions runs from 3 to 9. A higher score means you feel these things more often. ONS guidance says there is no standard score at which a person is definitely lonely, so we do not put you in a band such as mild or high.
The fourth question asks how often you feel lonely. Some people score high on the first three questions but never use the word lonely. Others feel lonely with people all around them. Both are common, which is why the ONS asks both kinds of question.
Your answers can change from month to month. A move, a new job or a break-up can shift them quickly. Take the test again in a few weeks to see what has changed.
Source (as of October 2026): ONS, Measuring loneliness: guidance for use of the national indicators on surveys
How many people in the UK feel lonely?
In the ONS Opinions and Lifestyle Survey for 5 to 30 August 2026, 6% of adults in Great Britain said they feel lonely often or always. That is about 3.3 million people. 25% said often, always or some of the time, and 46% said hardly ever or never.
Younger adults reported loneliness more often. 32% of people aged 16 to 29 felt lonely at least some of the time, compared with 20% of people aged 50 to 69. The age groups are small samples, so treat small gaps between them with care.
The Campaign to End Loneliness, using ONS data in its State of Loneliness 2023 report, says about 7.1% of people in Great Britain feel lonely often or always. That is 3.83 million people.
ONS publishes new figures each month. The next release is due on 16 October 2026.
Sources (as of October 2026): ONS, personal well-being and loneliness dataset, August 2026 (published 18 September 2026); Campaign to End Loneliness, facts and statistics
Is loneliness more common in London?
No. On the latest national measure, adults in London feel lonely about as often as adults in the rest of England. In the Community Life Survey for 2024/25, 7% of adults in London said they feel lonely often or always. The figure for England was also 7%.
Across London's five sub-regions, the figure ranged from 6% to 7%. The government found no significant difference for London compared with England as a whole.
So if you feel lonely in London, about 1 in 14 adults around you feels the same often or always. The next two sections cover what helps and where to start.
Sources (as of October 2026): DCMS, Community Life Survey 2024/25: loneliness and support networks (updated 31 July 2026); Community Life Survey 2024/25 data tables, table A1b
What actually helps with loneliness?
Research does not point to one cure. A UK government review of loneliness studies, carried out by the What Works Centre for Wellbeing, found that several approaches help in the short term. These are the ones with the clearest support.
Keep in regular touch with people you know
The NHS says regular chats with friends and family can help to combat loneliness. A short message or call counts. Regular contact matters more than long catch-ups.
Join something that meets again and again
The NHS suggests joining a group or club to meet people. The government review found that group settings help because they give you a reason to talk. Choose something weekly, such as a class or a shared dinner.
Talk about how you feel
The NHS says talking more openly about how loneliness affects you can really help. You could tell a friend, a family member or your GP.
Ask your GP about social prescribing
Your GP practice can refer you to a social prescribing link worker. NHS England says link workers connect people to activities, groups and services in their community, and that the approach works well for people who are lonely or isolated.
Get support for low mood as well
The government review found consistent evidence for support that combines social contact with psychological help. If loneliness comes with low mood or anxiety, ask your GP about talking therapies as well.
Choose what suits you
The What Works Centre for Wellbeing found that approaches matched to the person work better than one size fits all. A quiet reading group may suit you better than a loud party. Start with what feels manageable.
Sources (as of October 2026): NHS Every Mind Matters, loneliness; NHS England, social prescribing; DCMS, Loneliness interventions across the life course (September 2023); What Works Centre for Wellbeing, What we know about loneliness and connection (February 2024)
Lonely in London? Free and low-cost next steps
These options cost little or nothing. Each one brings you back to the same people more than once.
Run, walk or cycle with GoodGym (free)
GoodGym groups combine running, walking and cycling with helping local communities. It is free to take part, and it has groups in 26 London boroughs.
Share a free community supper
Likewise runs Supper & Stories, a free community supper club, on Wednesday evenings at its hub in Swiss Cottage. It is open to adults aged 18 and over.
Volunteer near you
Volunteering gives you a regular reason to see the same people. Do-it lists volunteering roles across the UK, and GOV.UK links to other volunteering sites.
Use your local library
Your local library gives you free access to books and learning materials. Many London libraries also run regular events. Check your borough's library page for what is on near you.
Make or fix things at a Men's Shed
Men's Sheds are community workshops where people make, fix and chat. The UK Men's Sheds Association says sheds help reduce loneliness and isolation.
Join a small dinner with new people
If you like the idea of meeting people over food, Siena seats small groups of people who have never met at a London restaurant every Thursday at 7:30pm. A seat costs £12.99, and you pay for your own food and drinks. You never sit with someone from a past table again.
Plan the next four weeks
Our free planner picks one activity near you to repeat each week, so you see the same faces again.
Sources (as of October 2026): GoodGym areas; Likewise on Eventbrite; GOV.UK, volunteering; UK Men's Sheds Association
When you need more than social plans
Loneliness is a feeling, not a mental health condition. But it can go hand in hand with low mood, anxiety or thoughts of harming yourself. If that sounds like you, please talk to someone today. You do not have to wait until things get worse, and you will not be wasting anyone's time.
These services are free or low-cost and confidential. If you are in danger now, call 999 or go to A&E.
Samaritans
Call 116 123 free from any phone, 24 hours a day.
Shout
Text SHOUT to 85258. Free, confidential and open 24/7.
NHS 111
Call 111 or use 111 online and select the mental health option.
Mind Infoline
Call 0300 123 3393, 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. Calls from UK landlines are charged at local rates.
The Silver Line
For people aged 55 and over. Call 0800 4 70 80 90 free, 24 hours a day.
If you are in danger now, call 999 or go to A&E.
Where the questions come from
In 2018 the ONS published a national measure of loneliness for adults aged 16 and over. It has four questions. Three questions do not use the word lonely. They ask about companionship, feeling left out and feeling isolated. They come from the Three-Item Loneliness Scale by Hughes and colleagues (2004). The fourth question asks directly: how often do you feel lonely? UK surveys such as the ONS Opinions and Lifestyle Survey use these questions.
How the score works
Each of the three indirect questions scores 1 for hardly ever or never, 2 for some of the time and 3 for often. Your total runs from 3 to 9. A higher total means you feel these things more often. The direct question has no score. ONS reports it as a share of adults for each answer, so we show your answer next to the national figures.
Why there are no labels like mild or severe
ONS guidance says there is no standard accepted score at which a person is definitely lonely. Some websites add bands such as low, moderate or high. Those bands do not come from the ONS. We show your score and the national figures, and you decide what they mean for you.
Sources
- ONS, Measuring loneliness: guidance for use of the national indicators on surveys
- ONS, Public opinions and social trends, Great Britain: August 2026 (published 18 September 2026)
- Hughes, M. E., Waite, L. J., Hawkley, L. C. and Cacioppo, J. T. (2004). A short scale for measuring loneliness in large surveys. Research on Aging, 26(6), 655-672.
- Hays, R. D. and DiMatteo, M. R. (1987). A short-form measure of loneliness. Journal of Personality Assessment, 51(1), 69-81.
Frequently asked questions
What is a loneliness test?
A loneliness test is a short set of questions about how often you lack company, feel left out or feel isolated. This one uses the four questions the Office for National Statistics recommends for UK surveys, plus an optional ULS-8 scale. It shows how often you feel these things. It is not a diagnosis.
How do I know if I am lonely?
Loneliness is the feeling that your relationships are fewer or less close than you want. Signs include often feeling left out, lacking someone to share time with, or feeling distant from people around you. You can feel it in a busy office or a full flat. If you feel these things often, it is worth acting on, and it can change.
What score means I am lonely?
No score proves that you are lonely. ONS guidance says there is no standard accepted score at which a person is definitely lonely. Your score shows how often you feel three things that go with loneliness. Your answer to the direct question shows where you sit next to adults in Great Britain.
How many people in the UK feel lonely?
In the ONS Opinions and Lifestyle Survey for 5 to 30 August 2026, 6% of adults in Great Britain said they feel lonely often or always. 25% said often, always or some of the time. ONS published these figures on 18 September 2026.
Is loneliness more common in London?
No. In the government's Community Life Survey for 2024/25, 7% of adults in London said they feel lonely often or always, the same as England as a whole. The survey found no significant difference between London and England.
What helps with loneliness?
Regular contact with people you know, joining a group that meets often, and talking about how you feel all help, according to the NHS. A UK government review found that group activities help because they give people a reason to talk. Your GP can also refer you to a social prescribing link worker, who connects you to local groups.
Where can I get support if I feel lonely and low?
Call Samaritans free on 116 123, 24 hours a day, or text SHOUT to 85258. For urgent mental health help, call 111 and select the mental health option. People aged 55 and over can call The Silver Line free on 0800 4 70 80 90. If you are in danger now, call 999.
Do you store my answers?
No. Your browser calculates the score, and your answers never leave this device. If you ask for the reconnect plan, we store your email address and the name of this tool. We never store your answers or your score.
More from Siena
How healthy is your London social life?
A lighter 90-second check across 4 parts of your social life.
How to make friends in London
Practical ways to meet people in London and keep in touch.
Christmas alone in London planner
A day-by-day plan from Christmas Eve to New Year's Day, with transport notes.
Friendship hours calculator
See how many hours it takes to turn new faces into friends.