Research revealed that one in three adults experienced loneliness during the pandemic, but as the world adapts to its new normal, are Brits making the most of seeing their nearest and dearest?
TransPennine Express set about trying to find out. As part of its partnership with the Campaign to End Loneliness, the train operator surveyed 2,000 people to discover if they’re seeing those closest to them, how often, and the activities that they enjoy doing together the most. As it turns out, whilst we all have good intentions, sometimes they’re not always met.
- 3.7 million adults in the UK were chronically lonely in February 2021, compared to 2.6 million in 2020
- Post-pandemic, 16% of people wish to see their friends every day, yet just 10% manage to do so every week
- Almost a quarter (23%) of Brits socialise with family members every week
- Work commitments, Covid restrictions and concerns, and expense are amongst the barriers
- Getting together for a meal is the top pastime with both friends and family
- Watching sport is the top social activity for 1 in 4 men, whilst 1 in 2 women love going for a meal with their friends
Considering this, making the most of time with those closest to us has never been more important. But how often are we actually doing it?
Most commonly, Brits want to connect with those in their social circle once every two to three weeks. A quarter (23%) of people manage this, whilst for one in five (21%) it’s every three months or more. But the research revealed that there are many barriers holding us back from seeing our loved ones more often.
When it comes to seeing friends, it’s work commitments (25%), Covid-based restrictions (21%), and the associated expense (21%) that gets in the way. For failing to see family members as often as they’d like to, it comes down to work commitments (24%), the distance to travel (22%), and Covid restrictions and concerns (22%).
In the UK, the weather even plays its part. One in five (20%) of us struggle to see our families because of the weather, while this also affects 16% of people when it comes to seeing their friends.
TransPennine Express also discovered that when we do see each other, it’s all about the food. Sharing a meal, whether out or at home, was the top thing to do with both family (52%) and friends (45%). To help nurture these connections, they have also researched the top-rated restaurants, cafes, and bars in the North West, North East, Scotland, and Yorkshire and the Humber.
Head to https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/explore-the-north-and-scotland/blog/2022/may/favourite-get-togethers to see each of the recommendations and discover more about TransPennine Express’ partnership with the Campaign to End Loneliness.
Darren Higgins, Commerical Director from TransPennine Express comments:“ We saw first-hand the effect of loneliness on both our colleagues and customers during the pandemic. It’s for this reason that we see the importance of supporting the Campaign to End Loneliness. We’ve already implemented initiatives such as our chatty benches at our stations where anyone can share a quick chat, but we also wanted to highlight the importance of socialising with family and friends right now.”
