A lack of meaningful social connections among staff in the education sector could be contributing to feelings of loneliness and isolation, the British Red Cross has said.

The charity polled more than 4,000 adults in the UK, including 266 from the education sector, and found that six in 10 of the latter were lonely either “always, often or sometimes”.  

And three in 10 said they didn’t have colleagues they felt close to or could talk to about their loneliness.

Red Cross spokesperson Zoë Abrams said: “We all need someone to turn to in a crisis, but the findings of our research suggest that there are many people in our communities feeling they lack meaningful, human connections. This will be concerning for all of us to hear.

“Loneliness and social isolation doesn’t discriminate. Life circumstances can change in the blink of an eye, meaning it can happen to anyone, no matter your age or background.”

A total of 45 per cent of respondents in the education sector who did have people they were close to, or could rely on, said those people lived far away from them.

Six in 10 said their loneliness was having a negative impact on their life, and 56 per cent were worried that their loneliness would get worse. 

A total of 67 per cent said they often felt completely alone when surrounded by people, and 26 per cent said they had no strategies for coping with their loneliness.

Last year the British Red Cross supported more than 291,600 people who were alone and isolated across the UK.

The help ranged from home visits to lending wheelchairs so people could get around following illness to reuniting families that had been displaced.

If you can support the charity this Christmas, text KINDNESS to 70141 and donate £5