By Stephen Beech

The loneliness epidemic is bad for Britain's finances as well as mental and physical health, according to new research.

Lonely people incur around £900 more each in annual NHS healthcare costs than people not afflicted by loneliness, suggest the findings.

Four in 10 UK adults identify as being lonely at least some of the time, and the World Health Organisation (WHO) recognizes loneliness as a "priority" public health problem.

Previous research supports that claim, but the effect of loneliness on healthcare costs had been largely unexplored until now.

Dr. Nia Morrish, from the University of Exeter , and her colleagues analysed the Understanding Society UK Household Longitudinal Study, which gathers survey and interview data.

The researchers looked at self-report

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