Loneliness is now recognised as a major public health issue across all ages, reflected in the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing 2021 to 2030. It harms health and increases the risk of both mental and physical illness. Lonely older people face around 25% higher risk of developing dementia and greater risk of heart disease, stroke, and hospital admission. Social isolation, loneliness, and deprivation often overlap, particularly among pensioners who live alone.

In Luton, more than 27% of people aged over 65 live alone, compared with just 7% of the rest of the population. There are 7,259 residents aged 65 and over living alone, representing 53% of all single-occupancy households in the borough. Age Concern Luton recognises that older people often have fewer opportunities to get out and form connections. The organisation was among the first in Britain to establish a befriending scheme, with volunteers running a telephone friendship club and home visits for a chat and a cuppa. This service provides vital social support to some of Luton’s most isolated older people, and demand continues to grow, creating an ongoing need for new volunteers.