Lonely people incur an extra £850 in annual healthcare costs to the NHS, as well as experiencing worse mental and physical health

A large-scale cross-sectional study of older individuals in the UK supports contextual, process-based models of mental health that emphasise values-guided behaviour, psychosocial resources and biopsychosocial integration, according to a study published September 3, 2025, in the open-access journal PLOS Mental Health by Darren Edwards from Swansea University, UK, and colleagues. This has important implications for clinical and rehabilitation contexts, such that efforts to enhance well-being are complementary and have additional benefits over and above reducing distress.