‘ Together we can combat loneliness and f ight the stigma’

Says the new minister for loneliness, Tracey Crouch

It’s estimated that between 5% and 18% of UK adults feel lonely often or always, which is why I was appointed as the world’s first loneliness minister in January – and we’ve just published a major strategy to try and combat it.

In the past, the issue focused on the over-65s, but recent research has highlighted that 16 to 24-year-olds are now the most likely to feel lonely. Others who are particularly vulnerable are new mums, people with disabilities, refugees and asylum seekers.

It’s upsetting to see people feeling this natural emotion at such an acute level on such a regular basis. There’s no one single cause of loneliness; you can’t assume why people feel that way. I know some are ready to use social media as an easy example, looking at Instagram and thinking everybody’s lives are perfect, but it’s not for me to put those words into people’s mouths.

Some 76% of GPS estimate they see between one and five patients a day because of loneliness, so if professionals can recognise and diagnose it, I think we’re in a good place for them to start signposting patients to solutions. Thanks to our strategy, by 2023 all GPS will be able to refer lonely patients to community activities, such as dance classes and rural coffee clubs, which ignite friendships and reduce feelings of loneliness.

But just the fact we’re even talking about it is a huge step forward. It’s about reducing stigma and I think, with loneliness, we are where we were with mental health 10 years ago. Soon it will be something we talk about as openly.

We must remember, though, that loneliness doesn’t discriminate. Everyone is likely to feel lonely at some point.