A WIDE-ranging study into loneliness and isolation in Wales has been launched.

The National Survey for Wales 2016-17 found 17 per cent of people in Wales, around 440,000 people, reported being lonely. And younger people were more likely to be lonely, with 20 per cent of 16 to 24-year-olds saying they were lonely, compared with 10 per cent of those aged 75 or older.

Previous studies have shown loneliness and social isolation can result in a number of physical and psychological problems including premature death, sleep problems, high blood pressure, poor quality of life, increased risk of heart attack and stroke, depression and suicide, and has an effect on mortality equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

And now the Welsh Government has launched a consultation into what can be done to tackle the problem.

Minister for children, older people and social care Huw Irranca-Davies said: “Loneliness and social isolation are growing problems not just here in Wales but across the UK and beyond, with one in every five people now experiencing loneliness and/or social isolation.

"More of us now understand these can affect anyone, at any age, for a wide variety of reasons. They can, and do, have a significant impact on people’s physical and mental health. It risks becoming a major public health crisis unless we act now, and work together to tackle the problem.

“As a government, we are committed to securing the best possible health, well-being and quality of life for all people in Wales. Preventing people from becoming lonely and isolated must be a national priority for us, because it will not only improve people’s lives, but it will also help reduce demand for health and social services in the future.

“However, neither the Welsh Government nor one agency on its own can combat these issues. As a government, we need to be able to foster the right environment and create the right conditions for others to design and deliver solutions that best meet their needs.

“I am keen to hear from people living in all parts of Wales as part of this consultation process. Working together, we can ensure our communities and the social fabric that binds them together, are as resilient as they can be.”

Age Cymru chief executive Victoria Lloyd welcomed the news.

“We are encouraged that the government is taking a broad view of the issues surrounding loneliness and isolation," she said.

“Our own research found that 75,000 older people in Wales have reported ‘always or often’ feeling lonely which can have a detrimental effect on people’s physical and mental health. Loneliness can also increase the pressures on our already overwhelmed health and social services.

“Poor transport infrastructure, poorly designed townscapes, a lack of local amenities and facilities as well as digital exclusion can all contribute to an older person’s sense of isolation. We need to remove such barriers that prevent older people from engaging fully with their local communities and provide support for those who are experiencing loneliness as a result of issues such as bereavement and retirement.”

Take part in the consultation, which will run until Tuesday, January 15, at https://tinyurl.com/y942gvja