Read: A million over-65s ‘still at risk of loneliness as UK lockdown eases’

A review by 10 leading charities has found that a million people over 65 in the UK are likely to remain at risk of chronic loneliness despite the easing of coronavirus restrictions.

Loneliness, social isolation and living alone are all associated with an increased risk of early death, the Older People’s Task and Finish Group has said.

The group, part of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Tackling Loneliness Network, also says that so many support organisations closed for good during lockdown that millions of older people are continuing to suffer loneliness, depression and deteriorating physical health.

The network, co-chaired by Independent Age and the Alzheimer’s Society, has found that only 7% of 96 support organisations questioned have returned to normal service after the pandemic.

Almost three-quarters of older people questioned in the network’s survey said they had no or significantly less support from the charities they had relied on before the pandemic.

Read the full story in The Guardian.

Good health and well-being is one of 14 Levelling Up Goals launched to set out clear objectives for the UK's Levelling Up challenge.