is now measured in national surveys alongside income and health.
The results are counter-intuitive: reported loneliness is highest in cities.
is not company.
Long commutes, small flats and frequent moves all reduce the chance of repeated contact.
Repetition is what turns a stranger into an .
Health researchers treat the condition seriously because the physical effects are comparable to smoking.
Policy responses tend to fail when they are advertised as loneliness programmes.
Few people will attend an event for lonely people.
What works is an ordinary activity that happens at the same time every week.
, repair cafes, community gardens and sport leagues all qualify.
The purpose is the cover; the contact is the product.
Cheap public space matters for the same reason, since it contact without spending.
A bench costs almost nothing and quietly does a great deal.