eHarmony Says Singles Looking for Partners Before Next COVID Lockdown
Contributed by: kellyseal on Wednesday, November 04 2020 @ 08:57 am
Last modified on Wednesday, November 04 2020 @ 10:03 am
Singles in the U.K. are on the hunt for love before the next wave of the pandemic forces people to isolate once more.
Dating site eHarmony found that one fifth of singles (21%) are eager to find partners right now as potential lockdowns loom, and that 40% of those looking to couple up will do so because they spent the previous lockdown alone. Eighteen percent are looking to move in with a partner to escape their current living situation, whether it’s with family, roommates, or living alone.
The company surveyed[*1] UK users about their dating desires and habits during the pandemic, and found that the so-called “circuit-breaker” lockdown is really motivating people to find a partner quickly. Circuit breaker lockdowns mean that people isolate at home, and non-essential businesses like restaurants and pubs would have to shut down for a temporary period of time to bring the number of new COVID cases down, which has put a strain on healthcare workers around the world.
Interestingly, eHarmony also saw a 22% increase in registrations from week to week following Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s announcement of a curfew in late September. eHarmony’s registrations from January to May indicated a similar trend, with a 92% increase in sign-ups over the app.
The desire for partnership varies across England, but not by much. There are strict lockdowns happening in northern England, which does drive interest in coupling. Over one third of singles in the North East and 27% in the North West of the country are looking to couple up now. In London, where they have already had severe restrictions like curfews and pub closures in the first wave of the pandemic, 32% are feeling the pressure to meet someone and partner up before it becomes hard to meet people yet again.
Users in the northern hemisphere are also entering cuffing season, a time when singles look for a short-term partner to spend the cold winter months together, compounding the desire to couple up.
"Cuffing season exists because people seek to couple during the colder winter months. This yearning has been heightened by Covid 19,” says eHarmony’s relationship expert Rachael Lloyd. She notes that the pandemic has “created a yearning to settle down and caused a decline in the casual dating culture, which was prevalent among younger demographics” prior to this time.
She goes on to say: “While I'd certainly encourage people in their renewed search for love, I'd also advise them to use reputable platforms which specialize in compatibility. This means they will be matched according to core values and personality traits – the things that really count for lasting love."