Christmas may be a time for celebrating with friends and family for many – but for a million older people the festive period could mean a ‘miserable’ time alone
More than a million older people in the UK could face a “miserable” Christmas Day alone, Age UK has revealed – a situation branded a ‘crisis hidden in plain sight‘ by Dame Joanna Lumley.
The legendary actress warned the “silence can be deafening” as she was joined by Dame Judi Dench in calls for action, saying so many older people suffer “days without conversation”.
Age UK said its polling of more than 2,600 people aged 65 and over suggested 11% will eat dinner alone on December 25, while 5% will not see or speak to anyone during the entire day.
It said its findings, when considered in terms of the overall population, suggest 1.5 million people will eat alone on Christmas Day, 760,000 won’t bother getting dressed and 670,000 won’t see or speak to anyone.
Dame Joanna, 79. has joined other famous faces including Dame Judi Dench, 90, Brian Cox, 79, and Miriam Margolyes, 84, to encourage people to support the charity’s campaign to provide companionship in a bid to tackle loneliness.
Dame Judi Dench, aged 90, Age UK ambassador, adds “Christmas is meant to be a time of light, warmth and being together. Yet for so many older people, it can be a time of silence – days without conversation or company.
“That’s why I’m proud to support Age UK this Christmas. With your help, they can bring a meaningful connection to older people. They work locally and nationally to give comfort and support where it’s needed most. Let’s act now and support Age UK and help make this winter a little better for those who are spending it alone.”
Fellow Age UK ambassador, Dame Joanna Lumley said : “Christmas is such a special time for so many of us- full of warm memories, laughter and togetherness. It’s truly devastating that this isn’t the situation for so many older people, who often spend it completely alone.
“No laughter, no season’s greetings, no phone calls – the silence can be deafening. This is a crisis hidden in plain sight. Do something special this year, do it for those who have no one – help Age UK solve the crisis people don’t see and donate today.”
Succession star Brian Cox, 79, said loneliness at Christmas is “a tragedy we don’t talk about enough”, with “far too many older people are left spending the season in silence, when it should be a time of warmth, connection and joy”.
Echoing that sentiment, Harry Potter actor Miriam Margolyes, said: “Christmas can be miserable for old people, especially if they have no family.
“Growing older shouldn’t mean disappearing into the background – we need to be seen, heard and celebrated.”
Pensioner Gordon, aged 85, from Norwich, told of his loneliness after losing his wife, Jillian, his childhood sweetheart.
“I fell to pieces”, says Gordon. “I remember just after it happened, when a staff member from the Age UK Norfolk team took me out to a local garden centre, and I just couldn’t stop the tears from flowing.”
Three years on, and Gordon still struggles with loneliness. “I live in a flat now, in the centre of Norwich, but the moment I close that front door, I’m all by myself”, he says.
Talking about spending the festive period alone, he said: “On Christmas Day itself, I was all alone. It was horrible. I got my coat and went on a walk, but everything was closed. Age UK Norwich’s Christmas Meal a couple of weeks earlier – that was my Christmas Day.”
When asked what his advice would be to others in his situation, Gordon said: “Don’t let go. Contact someone, push yourself to get back on your feet, join something to get out and meet people.
“It’s easy to think you’re the only one who’s struggling, but you’re not. Finding people in the same boat as you and being there for each other is so important.”
Age UK said its volunteers made more than 70,000 minutes’ worth of calls to people during Christmas week last year.
Its chief executive, Paul Farmer, said: “Your donation could bring comfort, friendship and care to an older person facing loneliness this winter. From friendly weekly calls to local lunch clubs, we’re here to make sure no one spends winter alone. But we can’t do it without you.”
Age UK said: “Loneliness and social isolation are issues all year, but winter, and Christmas especially, can be particularly tough.
“With routine services winding down, shops closing early or shutting completely, colder weather, shorter days and changes in people’s health, it becomes harder for many to sustain social connections, whether they celebrate Christmas or not.
“Often painted as a season of joy, togetherness, and non-stop celebrations, Christmas is known for family feasts, childhood magic, and friendly reunions. Yet Age UK’s new research highlights the stark reality of just how lonely this time of year is for older people:”
One in two (6.3 million) say they don’t feel the joy they once felt at Christmas time, one in three (4 million) won’t be putting up a Christmas tree, one in five (2.6 million) say they miss the sound of laughter at Christmas time and one million are more isolated at Christmas than any other time of the year
Polling company Yonder surveyed 2,659 UK adults aged 65 and over for Age UK between October 31 and November 10 2025.
