London’s loneliness epidemic

The healthcare cost of treating loneliness is £6,000 per person over 10 years.

The London Assembly has today called on the Mayor to deliver an awareness campaign to tackle the stigma of loneliness.

Jennette Arnold OBE AM, who proposed the motion said:

“Our capital is one of the busiest and vibrant cities in the world, but it can also be a lonely and alienating place for Londoners of all backgrounds and ages.

“If left untreated, social isolation can have significant impacts on physical and mental health, leading to increased strain on the already overstretched resources of the NHS and local authorities.

“Whilst it should be as straightforward as possible for those suffering from loneliness to access the support that they need, there is an undeniable stigma surrounding this condition, which can prevent Londoners from coming forward and reaching out.

“This is why we are calling upon the Mayor to launch a public awareness campaign around loneliness and to introduce a Loneliness Test that evaluates how policy can be better shaped around this growing issue”.

Steve O’Connell AM, who seconded the motion said:

“If we are serious about alleviating the demands placed on our brilliant NHS, we need to take robust action to tackle the root causes of ill health – including loneliness. Reducing loneliness isn’t just the right thing to do, it is the smart thing to do.

“The Mayor of London can play his role in helping to tackle loneliness. Removing the terrible stigma surrounding this problem is absolutely key, and the Mayor should deliver an awareness campaign which does just this. A new Loneliness Test would help to ensure that the Mayor and the Government are able to gauge the impact that any new policy will have on lonely people.”

The full text of the motion is:

“The Assembly is concerned about the numbers of Londoners who feel lonely. Right now, more than half of Londoners feel lonely sometimes and nearly one in 10 feel lonely a lot of the time.

Tackling loneliness is important as it is linked to poorer physical and mental health, as well as with cognitive decline and an increased risk of Alzheimer’s. People who are lonely are more likely to be readmitted to hospital, more likely to visit a GP or Accident & Emergency and more likely to enter local authority funded residential care. The healthcare cost of treating loneliness is £6,000 per person over 10 years.

In addition, there is also a stigma with loneliness itself. Research shows that 30 per cent of British people said they would be embarrassed to say they felt lonely with, 44 per cent of people saying it is making it more difficult for people them to seek support. With increasing numbers of people reporting that they feel lonely every year, there is still a long way to go in terms of awareness of loneliness and tackling its impacts, both on individuals and society at large.

The Assembly calls upon the Mayor to design and deliver an awareness campaign to tackle the stigma associated with experiencing loneliness and provide individuals, businesses and local authorities with the tools to tackle loneliness. In addition, the Assembly calls on the Government and the Mayor to introduce a Loneliness Test that assesses the impact of policy and decisions on loneliness in London.”