by Derren Hayes
Life in the UK is lonelier than it was a generation ago, so conclude a group of academics who carried out research into the make up of communities.
The study, commissioned by the BBC, used data gathered from the 2001 census to score local areas based on the type of people living there. Single people living in rented accommodation and who move regularly scored highly on the "loneliness indices". Areas with a high number of these people tended to be more lonely because the inhabitants had less of a feeling of belonging. Using this scoring method, every area of the UK is lonelier now than in 1971.
I'm a bit uncomfortable with the findings of this research, even though I'm sure most of us can relate to its themes. Logic suggests recent social trends - whether that be mass access to home computers, wider movement of labour or growth in economic mobility - have all had an impact on who lives where and what we do with our time. But just because someone lives in a rented house for only a year doesn't necessarily mean they won't mix with others or play an active part in the community.
From my own experience of living 10 years in different parts of south London, it was the areas with large student and immigrant populations that tended to have the friendliest and most vibrant communities. Conversely, some of the most unpleasant, rude and bigoted people I ever had the misfortune to meet I came across when I moved to what is one of the more affluent parts of the city. Certainly, having neighbours like that made me feel far lonelier than living next door to a single parent, immigrant or student.
Read about the BBC's research at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7754861.stm
There was a fantastic article in New York this issue on loneliness - it counter-intuitively suggested that living in cities wasn't lonely. And the article seems to be arguing that people have less of a sense of belonging and community rather than being lonely per se. It's a good read: http://www.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=Alone+Together&expire=&urlID=32648542&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnymag.com%2Fnews%2Ffeatures%2F52450%2F&partnerID=73272