Loneliness: Charities call for Stormont strategy

The report points out that chronic loneliness can affect as many as one in five people in Northern Ireland

More than 70 charities and organisations have called upon the Northern Ireland Executive to come up with a strategy to combat loneliness.

It comes as a report looking at the issue of loneliness is launched.

The review was compiled by the Campaign to End Loneliness over a five month period during the Covid-19 pandemic.

It pulled together existing data about loneliness, sought the views of organisations and also commissioned a survey of about 2,000 people.

The report points out that chronic loneliness can affect as many as one in five people in Northern Ireland.

Many of the GPs the report's authors spoke to stated that they see someone suffering from loneliness every day.

'Loneliness has never been more relevant'

The report said that the onus on tackling the problem of loneliness lies with government.

"A step change in efforts to tackle loneliness is required and that can best be driven forward by a fully resourced, cross-government strategy," it stated.

The report also calls for a committee of inquiry to allow for the giving of evidence about the negative societal effects of loneliness.

The third main recommendation in the report is for a specific response in the post-Covid world.

The report's authors said that this could include improved digital access; investment in social infrastructure and emotional support.

Robin Hewings, from the Campaign to End Loneliness, said: "The potential for a high-quality loneliness strategy to make a real difference to one of the major social issues facing Northern Ireland is an opportunity not to be wasted.

"Loneliness has never been more relevant. The time to start ending it is now."

BBC Northern Ireland's Christmas Appeal 'Staying Connected at Christmas - overcoming loneliness - together' aims to raise awareness of the effects of loneliness and provide support and advice.

The appeal is a joint initiative with charities including Volunteer Now; Age NI; Parenting NI; Marie Curie, Barnardo's NI; British Red Cross; Campaign To End Loneliness; Carers NI; Mencap NI and the Royal College of General Practitioners NI.

It runs from Monday, 7 December to Friday, 11 December.