Fewer Australians experience loneliness in April

One in ten people (10 per cent) experienced loneliness in the previous four weeks, compared with almost one in five people (19 per cent) in October 2020, according to data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today.

ABS Head of Household Surveys, David Zago, said the latest Household Impacts of COVID-19 Survey conducted from 16 – 25 April 2021, showed fewer Australians in April 2021 experienced events or conditions that cause stress when compared with October 2020 when we last followed up on the same topic.

“In April 2021, around one in four Australians (23 per cent) reported experiencing one or more personal stressors due to COVID-19 in the last four weeks, compared with 38 per cent in October 2020,” Mr Zago said.

The survey also explored the topic of social connection in the previous four weeks.

“In April 2021, 92 per cent of Australians reported doing activities with family or friends and 39 per cent reported activities with community groups or clubs.

“Two in three Australians (67 per cent) rated their ability to get support from family and friends when they needed it as excellent or very good. One in two people (47 per cent) reported having an excellent or very good sense of being part of a group or community.”

“Although poor levels of social connection were reported the least often across all Australians, some groups were more likely to indicate poor levels of social connection than others,” Mr Zago said.

“Poor levels of support from family or friends when needed were more likely to be reported by people with disability (reported by 7 per cent) than people without disability (reported by 3 per cent).

“More people living alone (11 per cent) reported a poor sense of being part of a group or community than people in family households with children (6 per cent) and without children (5 per cent).”

The survey also asked Australians about their expectations for income and spending in the next 12 months.

“In April 2021, one in four Australians (25 per cent) expected their household income to increase over the next 12 months, while one in ten Australians (10 per cent) expected a decrease,” Mr Zago said.

“Over the same time, three in ten people (29 per cent) expect their household spending to increase and one in 13 (8 per cent) expected spending to decrease.

“One in two people (52 per cent) expect their household will be able to save money in the next 12 months. 22 per cent plan to use their savings on travel, 15 per cent plan to renovate their home and 10 per cent plan to build or buy a home.”

The ABS would like to thank the Australian households that contributed to these survey results.