Feeling lonely in later life found to be increasing

The Age UK charity has warned that nearly 4.5 million older people claim to have felt lonely during later life, with more than 225,000 people aged over 65 often going a week without speaking to anyone at all.

New research by Cadbury Dairy Milk and Age UK, who have announced a partnership to help combat loneliness, illustrates the impact of loneliness with over half a million of those who’ve been lonely claiming it stops them going out and about in everyday life with almost 4.5 million older people claiming to have felt lonely during later life.

The Donate Your Words campaign will see the chocolate brand remove he words from its iconic bars and ‘donating’ them to the Charity to help alleviate loneliness amongst older people. The limited edition bar will be sold in supermarkets nationwide with 30p from each bar going towards Age UK to help provide vital services and support when older people need it most.

Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: “Loneliness is a huge problem because retirement, bereavement and ill health mean many older people find they are spending a lot less time enjoying the company of others than they’d like. Loneliness can affect your health, your well-being and the way you see yourself - it can make you feel invisible and forgotten. Working with Cadbury Dairy Milk on this campaign could really help to raise even more awareness of the issue and encourage everybody to do their bit to help tackle it.”