New report brings together leading thinkers to call for a greater focus on an epidemic of loneliness

You can read the full report 'Placing Social Connection at the Heart of Public Policy in the United Kingdom and Australia' here. 

There is now clear evidence that there is a growing epidemic of loneliness across the developed world. The report shows that both the UK and Australia have seen a particular rise of social isolation among those from lower socio-economic groups, along with a suggestion that men in early to mid-adulthood may be particularly vulnerable to loneliness.

In response, and as part of a broader programme from the UCL Policy Lab on social connection, UCL and the University of Sydney Matilda Centre brought together leading scholars and practitioners to explore the drivers of social connection and how we can better work together to bring about change. 

Contributing to the discussion and subsequent report were thinkers from both the UK and Australia, including Professor Maree Teesson AC and Dr Marlee Bower, The Matilda Centre, University of Sydney, Professor Sonia Johnson, Division of Psychiatry, University College London, Professor Elizabeth Pellicano, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, University of Sydney, Professor Anthony Costello, Institute for Global Health, University College London, Professor Peter Fonagy CBE, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, Professor Lauren Andres, The Bartlett School of Planning, University College London.

The report calls for a more significant discussion and consideration of social connection in policy debates and public service design, arguing that we need a renewed focus on building a politics that engages with delivery and a need for connection and a shared community. 

Speaking at the launch of the first publication in what will be an ongoing programme of work for the UCL Policy Lab, its Director, Marc Stears, said: 

“Social connections change lives for the better. That’s why we need to build public policies that respect and value connection and build a sense of shared community. It is vital if we are to tackle the deep-seated problems facing democracies around the world. It was brilliant to bring together such a world-leading group here at UCL. We are thrilled to be launching new work on social connection, building on our partnership with the University of Sydney Matilda Centre and colleagues in communities and on the frontline across Britain.”

Speaking from Sydney on the launch of the report, Dr Marlee Bower said: 

“With recent events highlighting global social division, it’s more important than ever to rebuild social cohesion and foster a sense of belonging across different parts of society. Australia and the United Kingdom have so much to learn from each other and the gold-standard evidence synthesized in this report to build a more connected future”. 

To learn more about the UCL Policy Lab’s work with the University of Sydney Matilda Centre and its programme on social connection, check out its website and contact the team here.