Council leaders join forces to tackle loneliness

The Local Government Association and the National Association of Local Councils are collaborating to help local services better tackle loneliness.

As part of its Loneliness Strategy, the government called on the LGA and NALC to explore best practice in combating loneliness. The new Reaching Out guide is designed to help local government tackle one of the nation’s biggest public health challenges and outlines how councils and local organisations can work together to reach out and improve individuals’ wellbeing as well as relieving some of the pressure on already overburdened council and health services.

Loneliness places additional pressure on already stretched services by increasing referrals to adult social care and visits to GP surgeries – the significance of this being likened to issues such as obesity and smoking. Although loneliness can often be associated with older people who live on their own, it affects millions of people across the country and has far reaching implications.

James Jamieson, chairman of the LGA, said: “Councils across all tiers are increasingly recognising the added value in reaching out and working together, because it is in our interests to tackle the significant impact of loneliness and other public health challenges.

”We are committed to continuing to strengthen good practice and learning across the sector and in actively seeking to make a real difference in tackling loneliness in our communities. Working together and toward a common goal we can build connected communities equipped and resourced to respond effectively to a wide range of needs.”

Sue Baxter, chair of NALC said: “In order to take forward the national strategy we must recognise local activity already underway and re-double our efforts to work more effectively in partnership across local government if we are to see real change in ending loneliness.”