In February 2021 there were an estimated 3.7 million chronically lonely adults in the UK, a number that has increased by over 1 million since the beginning of the pandemic (ONS, 2021). As Covid-19 restrictions have increased awareness of the importance of social and community connections, it is important we find ways of fostering these connections and providing people with the necessary support to tackle loneliness. This conference will provide a platform for sharing ideas on tackling loneliness across public, voluntary, housing, healthcare, and education sectors.

 

Join us for two half-days of discussing policy and best practice for preventing and tackling loneliness. You will have the opportunity to evaluate the latest policy from the DCMS on tackling loneliness, explore the latest research on loneliness in the UK and discuss how best to fight social isolation through social prescribing, and multi-agency working. Importantly, there will also be opportunities to consider how social isolation is affecting certain disadvantaged groups differently due to Covid-19, such as the elderly, young people, and BAME communities.