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Youth mental health crisis stories

Sep 1, 2026

Young people in England five times more likely to have no close friends than in 2014

New research reveals that the number of young people with no close friends has risen fivefold since 2014, with experts attributing the trend to austerity, the pandemic, and social media's impact on a generation now described as the "loneliest generation."

Sep 1, 2026·2 sources
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Top claims

  • ▪In one of his final acts as prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer introduced a ban on social media platforms, including Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok, for young people under 16.
  • ▪The proportion of 14- and 15-year-olds in England who were completely or very happy with their friendships fell from 86% to 76% between the periods 2012-14 and 2023-25.
  • ▪The average age of a first-time homebuyer in England has reached 34, and nearly one in five young people spend half of their income on rent.

Subtopics

Mental healthCOVID-19 pandemic's societal impact

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