She will announce that the government is accepting a
series of recommendations from the Commission on Loneliness.
The Prime Minister will host a reception at Downing
Street to celebrate ’s legacy, and the
important work of her family, Foundation and the
Commission in highlighting how many people are
experiencing loneliness.
Research shows:
- more than 9 million people always or often feel
lonely
- around 200,000 older people have not had a
conversation with a friend or relative in more than a
month
- up to 85% of young disabled adults – 18-34 year
olds – feel lonely
Ahead of the reception, the Prime Minister paid tribute
to , her family and to those
working for the Foundation and Commission for
highlighting the issue.
The Prime Minister said:
For far too many people, loneliness is the sad
reality of modern life.
I want to confront this challenge for our society and
for all of us to take action to address the
loneliness endured by the elderly, by carers, by
those who have lost loved ones – people who have no
one to talk to or share their thoughts and
experiences with.
recognised the scale of
loneliness across the country and dedicated herself
to doing all she could to help those affected.
So I am pleased that government can build on her
legacy with a ministerial lead for loneliness who
will work with the Commission, businesses and
charities to shine a light on the issue and pull
together all strands of government to create the
first ever strategy.
We should all do everything we can to see that, in
Jo’s memory, we bring an end to the acceptance of
loneliness for good.
The Prime Minister has today implemented the first of
the Commission’s
recommendations – appointing a ministerial lead on
loneliness. The Minister for Sport and Civil Society
will lead a
cross-government group which will take responsibility
for driving action on loneliness across all parts of
government and keeping it firmly on the agenda.
In addition, work has also begun on:
- developing a cross-government strategy on
loneliness in England to be published later this year.
This will bring together government, local government,
public services, the voluntary and community sector and
businesses to identify opportunities to tackle
loneliness, and build more integrated and resilient
communities
- developing the evidence-base around the impact of
different initiatives in tackling loneliness, across
all ages and within all communities, led by the
government’s What Works centres
- establishing appropriate indicators of loneliness
across all ages with the Office for National Statistics
so these figures can be included in major research
studies
- a dedicated fund which will see government working
with charitable trusts, foundations, and others to:
- stimulate innovative solutions to loneliness
across all ages, backgrounds and communities
- provide seed funding for communities to come
together to develop activities which enable people
to connect
- scale-up and spread existing work offering
practical and emotional support to help lonely
individuals reconnect with their communities
A number of government initiatives are already in place
to help reduce loneliness, including improved mental
health support, and the pocket parks programme which
has transformed unused spaces into new green areas,
giving lonely people the chance to join volunteering
groups and interact with neighbours.
New ministerial lead for loneliness, Minister for Sport
and Civil Society said:
I am privileged to be taking forward the remarkable
work done by , the Foundation and the
Commission. I am sure that with the support of
volunteers, campaigners, businesses and my fellow MPs
from all sides of the House, we can make significant
progress in defeating loneliness.
This is an issue that Jo cared passionately about and
we will honour her memory by tackling it, helping the
millions of people across the UK who suffer from
loneliness.
Loneliness can be triggered by a life event, such as a
bereavement or becoming a parent, with certain groups,
such as young people and carers, particularly at risk.
The Commission on Loneliness,
chaired by MP and MP, has spent the
last year considering what the government and others
can do to help. They have been working with 13
charities including Age UK and Action for Children to
develop ideas for change.
MP and MP, co-Chairs of
the Commission said:
We are really pleased to see that the government is
taking the issue of loneliness very seriously with
its prompt response to our report. said that “young or
old, loneliness doesn’t discriminate.
Throughout 2017 we have heard from new parents,
children, disabled people, carers, refugees and older
people about their experience of loneliness.
We very much welcome that government has accepted the
Commission’s recommendations including the
appointment of a new ministerial lead who will have
the responsibility for creating a national strategy
to tackle loneliness. We look forward to working with
Minister , businesses,
community groups and the public to create a world
less lonely.
Mark Robinson, Chief Officer of Age UK Barnet said:
Loneliness can kill. It’s proven to be worse for
health than smoking 15 cigarettes a day, but it can
be overcome and needn’t be a factor in older people’s
lives.
Age UK provide a wide variety of services and we
welcome the work that the government is doing to
support lonely people in communities throughout the
country.
Phil Burton, a former Royal Artillery Lance Bombardier,
will attend the reception to receive a Point of Light
Award from the Prime Minister for his work to tackle
loneliness. He founded the Veterans’ Café in Leyland
which brings former members of the armed forces
together, to talk, share experiences and access support
from charities and the NHS. He said:
When I first started the venture with the Veterans’
Café, I never thought it would grow into something
this big. I originally wanted to set this up for the
veterans, so they had a place to meet, and talk to
like-minded people with the same day to day issues.
This has now brought the veteran community together,
and is allowing veterans of all ages to get the help
where needed. This would never have been possible
without the help of South Ribble Council, and the
veterans that support the café on a fortnightly
basis.
