New project to reimagine social cohesion in light of tensions

A major new joint research project between UCL Policy Lab, Citizens UK and More in Common, This Place Matters, will provide local and national governments with a blueprint for what good cohesion policy looks like and to amplify the work of civic actors on the ground who are already doing so much to strengthen our social fabric.

The project, which will run for one year and produce a report aimed at all the major political parties, is conducted in partnership with the Pears Foundation, This Day and Unbound Philanthropy.

To mark the launch of This Place Matters, More in Common conducted a major poll of 13,000 members of the public and focus groups across the country. The findings reveal the urgent need for a renewed focus on strengthening societal bonds, community connections, and neighbourhood trust. More in Common found that a plurality of Britons feel disconnected from British society, mistrustful of institutions, and anxious about rising community tensions.

Speaking ahead of the project launch, Marc Stears, Director, UCL Policy Lab, said: “This polling reveals why our project is so important. Far too often people feel disconnected and isolated from those around them. As we’ve heard in recent weeks, some argue this is about the changing nature of places and communities, often driven by economic and technological shifts, yet the polling also shows a deeper sense of isolation which has set in post-COVID.

What stood out in the initial research, and stands out when speaking to those working in communities across Britain, is the need for us to meet, to explore ideas and understand our neighbours. This Place Matters aims to facilitate that, bringing to bear the latest research and campaigning tools to tackle these tensions and help design a better plan for Britain.”

An island of strangers?

Weeks before Keir Starmer’s controversial warning that Britain risks becoming an ‘Island of Strangers’, the More in Common polling found that many Britons feel a sense of alienation: 44 per cent say they sometimes feel like a “stranger”. More broadly, half of Britons (50 per cent) feel disconnected from society around them.

However, it is a profound mistake to think this sense of alienation is confined to one ethnic group. Looking more closely at which communities feel this disconnect most strongly, Asian British people are the ethnic group most likely to feel like a stranger in their country (47 per cent), more than white Britons (44 per cent) .

These early findings paint a worrying picture, with many people feeling isolated and mistrusting those around them.

This growing sense of mistrust and anxiety can’t simply be put down as a story of migration or culture. The polling also shows how new technology and COVID are having lasting impacts on people’s faith in those around them. With many Britons feeling more isolated following the pandemic, this scepticism is rising for younger generations.

A challenge that goes beyond migration

In the focus groups conducted by More in Common, people often describe a sense that the activities and spaces that enable us to socialise are becoming more scarce. For some, the shift is driven by technology and social media, which are reshaping how we interact with one another. Others point to the rise of remote working, which has reduced opportunities to build relationships with colleagues. With fewer shared spaces to connect in person, many are worried that technology is not just replacing face-to-face interaction, but also removing the incentive to engage with the wider community.

Luke Tryl, Pollster, and Director of More in Common UK, said: “Above all else, this research shows an urgent need to think again about how we rebuild a united and cohesive society. The polling puts into sharp relief something that will come as no surprise to many Britons - a growing sense that we’ve turned inward, away from each other, becoming more distant and less connected.

The Prime Minister’s warning that we risk becoming an ‘island of strangers’ resonates with millions who say they feel disconnected from those around them. But it would be a mistake to say that immigration and lack of integration are the sole causes of our fragmenting social fabric. The public point to a range of forces driving us apart: some cite the retreat from workplaces to screens; others talk about the loss of shared spaces and rituals that once brought us together. For many, it’s the simple feeling that the cost of living crisis has made a social life feel like a luxury.

It will come as no surprise that this sense of social disconnection is felt most sharply by those who are economically insecure. Meanwhile, a pernicious graduate gap appears to be opening up, with those who have degrees generally feeling more connected and optimistic than those who don't.

There is a clear need for new creative solutions to help bring people together, and facilitate meaningful connections. That’s why we’re delighted to be working with UCL Policy Lab and Citizens UK, launching This Place Matters, a new project to provide a blueprint for a more cohesive, united country."

Citizens UK, working on the ground with communities across Britain, will ensure the project and its recommendations are rooted in the real lives of ordinary Britons. 

Matthew Bolton, Executive Director of Citizens UK, said: “We all saw what can happen last summer when anger and mistrust boil over and threaten the fabric of our society. The answers to this don’t lie in Whitehall. By listening to people closest to the ground about what causes division and what builds unity in their neighbourhood, we can build a blueprint for cohesion rooted in local leadership and community power. This project will turn those local stories into national change.”

This Place Matters will launch their initial findings in 2025.