Lancaster ranks as highest uni for rate of loneliness in Tab survey

70.2 per cent of Lancaster students admitted to experiencing loneliness

2 years ago

In a survey conducted by The Tab for its You Matter campaign, 70.2 per cent of Lancaster University students reported feeling lonely.

This was the highest rate out of all universities reported on the survey.

This is in comparison to 53.5 per cent of Durham students, who had the lowest percentage of loneliness on the survey.

The Tab’s You Matter campaign aims to highlight the student mental health crisis, with 4,000 students across 30 universities taking the 2022/23 student mental health survey. Only universities with over 100 respondents were included individually in the results, but on average, 62.5 per cent of all students experience loneliness.

This figure increases to 90 per cent for students who reported they had suffered from a mental health illness. Nonetheless, more than 50 per cent of students at all universities included in the results reported feeling lonely.

A spokesperson from the student mental health charity Student Minds said: “According to research from June 2022, almost one in four university students feel lonely most or all of the time. This suggests to us that loneliness is a very common part of the student experience, and it is understandable to struggle if you are feeling lonely at university.

“According to our University Mental Health Charter, loneliness has been shown to be the single greatest predictor of mental distress among university students, and has a negative impact on cognitive function, immunity, mood, and academic performance. With all this in mind, it is imperative that universities, students’ unions, support services, and third sector partners come together to tackle student loneliness as an issue of the utmost importance.”

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For students looking for help, the charity also stated: “If you are a student experiencing loneliness, or are struggling with your mental health, Student Space is here to help. Student Space is a free, confidential, 24/7 mental health support service, available online. It includes a range of support options such as texting, webchat or email, educational articles, webinars, and a directory of support local to you.”

If you or someone you know has been affected by this story, please speak to someone or contact Samaritans on 116 123 at any time. You can also contact Anxiety UK on 03444 775 774, Mind on 0300 123 3393, Calm (Campaign against living miserably) on 0800 58 58 58, and Student Minds online here. You matter.