Loneliness matters. More than 3 million people across Britain in 2022 would describe themselves as chronically lonely.
We have been experts in the field of loneliness and connection since 2011.
Our vision is that everyone can live a life free from chronic loneliness.
You can read more about how we are funded and supported by our host organisation, the What Works Centre for Wellbeing.
We believe
The Campaign to End Loneliness believes that nobody who wants company should be without it. Loneliness affects people of all ages and backgrounds and touches the lives of millions. It causes real emotional pain and can impact on physical and mental health. It has an economic cost – in the additional health and care services that are needed by people who are lonely, and the missed contributions that people who are unable to connect could make in their communities.
We work to ensure that:
- People most at risk of loneliness are reached and supported
- Services and activities are more effective at addressing loneliness
- A wider range of loneliness services and activities are developed
You can help
We need your help to do this, you might want to donate, or you can also work with us as one of our corporate partners to reach out to your staff and supporters/ customers about loneliness.
As the only organisation devoted to loneliness research since 2011 we have significant research and policy expertise, and regularly are commissioned by public sector organisations for both qualitative and quantitive research.
We develop evidence and research and guidance about how to tackle loneliness and work with all kinds of organisations to make a difference for the millions of people affected by chronic loneliness in the UK. We increasingly provide training and support on loneliness for employees of in the public, private and third sectors. Find out more about how to Work with Us (hyperlink)
Our work
Our work always puts loneliness first. This exclusive focus allows us to maintain a depth of understanding and expertise on loneliness and how it relates to other issues. We share this widely to stimulate positive impact. As a new policy area and an emerging field of practice, we play a valuable role in sharing practice and learning about loneliness, making change and ensuring organisations have more impact in real time.
We do this by creating spaces for collaboration and support to the sector through:
Building the evidence
We develop new evidence and synthesise existing evidence to create practical resources that answer key questions on loneliness. We gather together and offer to policy makers and practitioners the latest evidence on loneliness and isolation. We draw on research through our Research and Policy Hub which engages academics and specialists from across the world. With these academic partners, we work to make new research as relevant and practical as possible for organisations that are working directly to support people experiencing loneliness, or making commissioning decisions.
Convening and supporting the loneliness community
We bring together a community of practice, learning and insight among organisations working on this issue. We aim to support this community to share expertise, knowledge and experience. The Campaign to End Loneliness offers organisations who want to tackle loneliness the latest research, opportunities to meet through events, and regular information to share the motivation and momentum behind this issue.
Making the case for action
Much of our time is spent campaigning: communicating with, convincing and persuading those who make choices about health and care spending to tackle and prevent loneliness. We provide a strong voice to commissioners of services and activities at a local and national level through our media wok and through providing practical tools an resources to help others reduce loneliness in their work.
Public campaigning
Thanks to funding from the National Lottery Community Fund, in 2017 we began to engage businesses and the public as part of our campaign. To kick start this work we launched The Loneliness Project, a film that has been seen over 85 million times worldwide and is one of the most watched and engaged with charity campaigns of 2017.
In 2018 we launched Be More Us. Be More Us is a movement that celebrates small moments of connection, like saying hello to someone in your local shop or smiling at someone on the bus. We all need a sense of belonging, no matter how old we are. Our Be More Us videos have had over 100 million views worldwide and we advise other organisations on public campaigning on loneliness from the learning we have generated.
Campaign locally
Between 2017 and 2020 we developed test and learn campaign areas across all four regions and nations in the UK. This has helped in from government policy in England, Scotland and Wales as well as develop a strong cross party consensus on the specific ways in which loneliness can be tackled in Northern Ireland.
Through our work on our Promising Approaches report and links with organisations across the UK we aim to bring organisations together who can collaborate to make local change happen.
Fundraising
There are many ways in which to support the Campaign to End Loneliness, including philanthropic support from individuals and trusts and foundations as well as companies.
As we are hosted by What Works Centre for Wellbeing, a Community Interest Company, we do not have charitable status. That means you cannot claim Gift Aid on any donations made to us – but your generosity will still help us thrive and support our work as a non profit CIC.
We urgently need your help to tackle loneliness and reach as many people as possible across the UK.
If you would like to make a donation to us you can do so here www.peoplesfundraising.com/donation/donate-to-the-campaign-to-end-loneliness
