One in three young people say they feel lonely at least once a week, despite three quarters saying they have many friends

New research from Ipsos in the UK, in partnership with JOE media, suggests that one in three (36%) 16-34 year olds in Britain say they feel lonely at least once a week. One in ten (11%) young people say they feel lonely at least once a day. This is despite three quarters (75%) of 16-34 year olds saying they have ‘many’ friends, with young men (81%) more likely than young women (69%) to say that they have many friends.

The new polling is part of Ipsos in the UK and JOE media’s Modern Masculinity campaign, which will provide an evidence-based picture of modern masculinity and dispel myths surrounding young British men. 

This research’s focus is on socialising and shows generational as well as gender differences in how the British public make and retain friends. Ipsos in the UK’s Chief Client Officer Richie Jones suggests that “side by side bonding” plays a more important part in young male friendships than other groups, as well as parts of Generation Z being stuck in a “loneliness limbo” of having many friends but still feeling alone.

• One fifth (21%) of 16-34 year olds say they found not knowing how or where to make friends as a barrier to new friendships, compared to 9% of 55-75 year olds.
• 36% of younger people say a lack of confidence stops them making new friends, compared to 20% of 55-75 year olds. Three in ten (29%) of younger people say a lack of time due to work stops them making new friends.
• 30% of younger men say they’ve made a friend in the last month, compared to 18% of young women.
• Younger men (47%) are more likely to say they have many female friends, than younger women (30%) are likely to say they have many male friends.
• Four in ten (38%) 16-34 men say video games are one of main ways they make new friends and socialise, and 35% say watching sports, behind work (43%), with “side by side bonding” playing a more important part in young male friendships than other groups.
• Younger women are also most likely to say they meet new friends and socialise through work (42%), followed by through other friends (36%), hobbies (32%) and family (31%).

Richie Jones, Chief Client Officer at Ipsos in the UK, says:

Our research suggests that there is a significant difference in how men and women make friends, with men more likely to build friendships through side by side bonding – watching sports, playing games – while women are making friends through connections they already have. More broadly, the research highlights the risk of a significant proportion of Generation Z being stuck in a loneliness limbo, where despite having many friends, they still feel alone. One in three younger people say they feel lonely at least once a week, with one in ten saying they feel lonely daily. A significant proportion of Generation Z say they lack the confidence to make new friends and wouldn’t even know where or how to begin.

Oli Dugmore, Editor at JOE media says:

Our partnership with Ipsos has already unpacked what is actually going on with young people and their dating lives, beyond the sensationalist headlines. In some ways, this polling is even more important, as it shows the real life issues many are facing when it comes to building fulfilling friendships as well.

Technical note: 

• Ipsos interviewed a representative sample of 2,485 adults aged 16-75 across Great Britain. Base size of 16-34 men (633) and 16-34 women (358). Polling was conducted online from the 27 June to 1 July 2025.  
• Data are weighted to match the profile of the population. All polls are subject to a wide range of potential sources of error.