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‘Amazing community’: how people are making new friends and connections as adults

17 Sep 2026, 13:53 GMT By Nicola Slawson and Jane Clinton
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Photo ‘Amazing community’: how people are making new friends and connections as adults
Credit: Nicola Slawson and Jane Clinton

As concern about loneliness and social isolation grows, we spoke to people who have joined groups and set up activities Amid growing concern about loneliness and social isolation, new research from the Institute for Public Policy Research found the number of young people in England with no close friends has risen fivefold since 2014 , with one in 20 now reporting having none at all. Making new friends as an adult is not always easy. We spoke to people who have taken deliberate steps to make new connections about what worked for them. Continue reading...