Free self-tests · 1 min · 3 questions
Loneliness test: the Three-Item Loneliness Scale
Loneliness is the gap between the connection you have and the connection you need. You can feel it in a busy office, in a marriage, or in a new city where nobody yet knows your name.
These three questions are the ones the UK Office for National Statistics recommends for measuring loneliness in surveys. They deliberately avoid the word 'lonely', because many people find it hard to say. The score is a rough measure, not a diagnosis, and there is no official cut-off.
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The next questions are about relationships with others. For each one, please say how often you feel that way.
Your results
This is a self-report questionnaire, not a diagnosis. Only a qualified professional can assess you properly.
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The Office for National Statistics is clear that there is no standard score at which a person is definitely lonely. The three bands above simply divide the range, so the most useful thing is how the answers sit with you, and whether they change over time.
Loneliness is not a mental health condition, but long periods of it are linked with low mood, poor sleep and worry. If it has gone on for months, or comes with feelings of hopelessness, please talk to a GP or another qualified health professional. If you need to talk to someone tonight, the helplines page lists free listening services, including Samaritans on 116 123 in the UK.
Loneliness is especially common after moving abroad, when everyday ties fall away and new ones take years to grow. It can also exist inside a family or a relationship, which can feel harder to admit. Counselling won't replace friendship, but it can be a place to understand what you are missing. I am a trainee person-centred counsellor working under supervision. You can read about expat loneliness, identity and belonging and online therapy for expats.
How the as published in the ONS national loneliness measures score works
3 questions, scored by adding up your answers. These are the score ranges this page uses to describe your result. Where the questionnaire's authors publish official cut-offs, the ranges follow them; the sources are listed below.
| Score | Range |
|---|---|
| Lower end of the scale | 3 to 4 |
| Middle of the scale | 5 to 6 |
| Upper end of the scale | 7 to 9 |
About this questionnaire
Three-Item Loneliness Scale (as published in the ONS national loneliness measures) by Mary Elizabeth Hughes, Linda J. Waite, Louise C. Hawkley and John T. Cacioppo (2004).
Hughes, M. E., Waite, L. J., Hawkley, L. C., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2004). A short scale for measuring loneliness in large surveys: Results from two population-based studies. Research on Aging, 26(6), 655–672. https://doi.org/10.1177/0164027504268574
Used in line with the published terms of use.
Questions people ask
Is this the UCLA three-item loneliness scale?
It is often called that, but in 2025 the Office for National Statistics corrected the name to the Three-Item Loneliness Scale (Hughes et al., 2004). The questions were drawn from the longer UCLA Loneliness Scale and adapted for short surveys.
What is a high loneliness score?
Scores run from 3 to 9, with higher scores meaning more frequent loneliness. The ONS states that there is no accepted score at which someone is definitely lonely, so this page describes where your answers sit in the range rather than labelling you.
Why don't the questions use the word lonely?
Many people feel uncomfortable describing themselves as lonely, and some cultures attach real stigma to it. Asking about companionship, feeling left out and feeling isolated tends to give more honest answers, which is why the ONS recommends this approach.
Are my answers private?
Yes. The questionnaire is scored inside your browser and nothing is stored or sent. Refreshing the page clears your answers. There is no account, no email and no tracking of your answers. If you want to keep your result, a screenshot is the simplest way.