How lonely am I? A short private check

These three questions are a short loneliness scale based on the longer UCLA Loneliness Scale. Researchers designed it in 2004 for large surveys, and it is now used in many countries, including in the U.K.'s national measures of loneliness. The fourth, optional question is the U.K.'s direct question about loneliness. Each answer scores 1, 2 or 3, so the total is between 3 and 9.

What the score means

• 3 to 5: you don't often feel alone right now.
• 6 to 7: you feel alone some of the time. This is very common.
• 8 to 9: you often feel alone. That is hard, and it is worth taking seriously, like any other signal about your health.

Higher scores mean more loneliness. The three groups are this guide's own plain-language way of describing scores; they are not official cut-offs. The check is a snapshot, not a diagnosis. Loneliness goes up and down with life, the season and even the day of the week. Doing the check again in a month or two, after trying a few small steps, can show you whether things are moving.

What to do next

• Get a short guide made for your situation.
• Read what loneliness is (and what it is not).
• If you've felt down, empty or hopeless most days for two weeks or more, read about depression and loneliness and consider talking to a doctor.