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,

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