Well that's a surprise...young who WFH say they are feeling lonely

Published: 08:47, 12 August 2026 | Updated: 08:48, 12 August 2026 The working from home trend may be popular with some young people, but a study now shows it's contributing to an epidemic of loneliness. The study, led by the Resolution Foundation, says the problem is connected to the increase in remote working as well as passive scrolling in leisure time. Young men spend nearly seven hours a day alone, more than 40 per cent of their waking hours, while young women spend roughly five hours a day alone. The pattern has also been reversed amongst older generations. Women over 60, and men over 70, now spend 60-90 minutes more a day with company than they did a decade ago. For young people, the shift to working from home because of the COVID-19 pandemic, has removed a crucial source of face-to-face interaction. However, surging screen time still plays a key role in the loneliness epidemic. The study, led by the Resolution Foundation, says the problem is connected to the increase in remote working as well as passive scrolling in leisure time (stock image).   Young adults who are almost always online are nearly 4 per cent more likely to feel lonely and adults aged 18-29 said they felt lonely 14 per cent of the time. Twice the rate reported in 60–69-year-olds. Those who are unwell suffer even worse. 18-29-year-olds who self-described their health as bad in 2023, spent more 3 hours a day alone than their counterparts.  The results are based on diary data tracking how people across the UK spend their day.    Parth Pandya, a researcher at the Resolution Foundation, said screen time was 'the usual suspect' in debates about youth loneliness, but that solitary paid work was the bigger factor. He said: 'If policy makers are serious about improving young people’s wellbeing, then work needs to be part of the debate as much as screen time.’