New poll shows a quarter of Scots say Covid-19 pandemic has left them feeling more isolated than ever
Parliamentarians across parties are calling on governments to put connecting communities at the heart of Covid recovery – as a new British Red Cross poll shows a quarter (23%) of Scots say the pandemic has left them feeling more isolated than they ever have before.
28% say that feelings of loneliness are still affecting them even though Covid-19 restrictions have eased, in comparison to earlier in the year.
As many people continue to struggle with loneliness two years into the Covid-19 crisis, politicians and Civil Society Organisations want governments across the UK to reaffirm their commitment to tackling loneliness – and to improve and invest in community and social infrastructure needed to connect people. This includes public transport and shared public spaces, such as parks.
Calling for a cross-UK Government agenda to ‘loneliness-proof’ communities, parliamentarians have relaunched the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Tackling Loneliness and Connected Communities, to keep these issues high on the political agenda.
Former Government Loneliness Minister and Conservative MP Tracey Crouch, and Labour MP Kim Leadbeater will be co-chairs, and the group will be supported by a new partnership of the British Red Cross, the Campaign to End Loneliness, and the Astra Foundation.
These parliamentarians are looking to build on the great work already done across the political spectrum, civil society, and people and communities themselves, to help raise awareness of loneliness – and tackle its root causes – at a time when a new Opinium poll for the British Red Cross shows that in Scotland:
- A quarter (23%) of Scots say that the pandemic has left them feeling more isolated than they ever have before.
- Around three in ten (28%) say that feelings of loneliness are still affecting them even though Covid-19 restrictions have eased, and a fifth (20%) are more worried about their feelings of loneliness now than they were before the pandemic.
- More than two in five Scots (45%) say they are worried that with Covid-19 cases increasing in the UK, they will need to reduce their interactions with others again.
- A third (33%) of Scots think that the pandemic has had a lasting impact on their relationships and social connections, while a quarter (24%) admit that they have found it difficult to reconnect with friends and family since lockdown restrictions lifted.
More positively, the latest research does show that 28% of people across Scotland feel more connected to their local community now than they did before the pandemic, with a third (33%) saying that the pandemic has brought out the best in their community.
Tracey Crouch, MP for Chatham and Aylesford, became the UK’s – and the world’s – first ever Loneliness Minister in 2017 and has continued to champion efforts to better connect people since.
Kim Leadbeater, Labour MP for Batley and Spen, has long worked to tackle loneliness and bring people together, and continues to build on the work of her late sister, Jo Cox, who was a pioneer in putting loneliness and social isolation on the political agenda.
Tracey Crouch MP said: “When I was appointed Loneliness Minister in 2017, I got to understand the scale of the challenge and, through my work with local government, health professionals, charities, and community groups, we were able to identify the best ways of helping people who are lonely to reconnect with their local community.
“Since then, we’ve made real strides in tackling stigma, encouraging people to talk about their feelings, and in bringing in practical measures like social prescribing which sees people take part in activities or groups to improve their health.
“Now we need to go further and address some of the underlying factors that prevent people from connecting with others, especially in terms of investment in key infrastructure and assets in local communities.”
Kim Leadbeater MP said: “As we look to recover from this pandemic, we have to recognise the impact Covid-19 has had on some of the most vulnerable people in society, especially those who have been isolated for long periods of time.
“I know from my efforts to tackle loneliness and bring people and communities closer together, that loneliness was a real problem before Covid-19 and, for some, it will be an even greater challenge now.
“It’s crucial we improve things where we live and that means good transport links, clean and safe public areas, recreational spaces like parks and gardens – things we take for granted but are the glue that binds our communities together.”
British Red Cross Policy and Public Affairs Manager for Scotland Kenneth Watt said: “Our latest research shows just how much more work needs to be done if we are to achieve a connected recovery from Covid-19, one that builds people’s confidence, brings our communities together, and puts a strong focus on those most impacted by the pandemic.
“We’re delighted to be supporting this push to encourage leadership and action on tackling loneliness, from all levels of government through to local communities up and down the country.
“Together, we need to build on the good work that has been done by government and communities themselves during the pandemic because loneliness is not a new or short-term problem and will continue to hold people back beyond this crisis.”
Robin Hewings, Programme Director at the Campaign to End Loneliness, said: “We are pleased the Campaign to End Loneliness is partnering with British Red Cross to provide secretariat to the APPG on Tackling Loneliness & Connected Communities.
“Research has shown the pandemic has left many more people feeling more isolated than ever. It helps us open up the conversation some more that loneliness is going to be a serious issue beyond Covid-19.
“And that so much more needs to be done to address the issue at scale and build upon the great work that has been done so far to bring communities together in helping them all to build back better.”
If you are experiencing loneliness, please know that you are not alone. If you would like some help, the British Red Cross support line operates from 10am to 6pm seven days a week on 0808 196 3651.
You can also visit www.redcross.org.uk/loneliness-resources to access our toolkit of resources for adults and young people, including online group sessions and digital classrooms, as well as thought-provoking podcasts where others share their experiences of tackling loneliness.