Resource-constrained groups Life skills Poverty and deprivation Given that a lack of resources can contribute to Generally speaking, the research around poverty or exacerbate isolation and loneliness, it might and social exclusion is well-developed, but there be worth considering how community members seems to be little research that incorporates could use their knowledge and experience isolation or loneliness into poverty studies. to support people experiencing isolation or Similarly, there is a lack of research that explores loneliness. For example while experiencing the connections between unemployment and loneliness many people say that they struggle isolation or loneliness. A recent survey by the Prince’s Trust found that 43% of unemployed with basic life skills such as budgeting and paying young people often or sometimes feel isolated, bills. Supporting people with practical skills might but it is not clear whether this is due to being put them in a better position to tackle the other 5 unemployed or other factors. problems that they are facing. A report by New Economics Foundation (2013) concluded that poverty in inner-city areas such as 6 Islington is contributing to, and made worse by, Transport and mobility social isolation. They found that people on lower Although it might be assumed that frequent incomes often have very small and weak social home-moving increases loneliness, empirical networks, rarely go out and have few friends evidence fails to support this view (Perlman and (who in turn were also affected by poverty and Peplau 1984: 25). While the immediate impact of isolation). Rising housing rents are also pushing moving may be to create loneliness, these effects lower and middle-income residents out of areas are typically short-lived. For example, Rubenstein like Islington, separating families and making it and Shaver (1982) found no relationship harder for neighbours to mix. Feelings of isolation between current loneliness and how frequently were made significantly worse by poor mental an individual had moved during his or her life health (nef 2013). time. Constraints on mobility, on the other hand, While some studies have found that urban density are linked to isolation and loneliness, and may levels may contribute to feelings of isolation or be more of an issue in underserved rural areas loneliness (e.g., Delmelle et al., 2013), other (Scottish Parliament 2015). studies have not found evidence to support his While the impact of mobility characteristics claim (van den Berg et al. 2015). However, people on loneliness are often overlooked, the use who are more satisfied with their neighbourhood of different transport modes (bicycle, car and and the facilities in the neighbourhood tend to public transport) significantly reduces loneliness feel less lonely. The availability of local facilities and may even explain age-related effects (van and amenities (shops, post offices, libraries, den Berg et al. 2015). Transportation modes pharmacies, cafes, pubs and parks), transport, provide access to social relations outside the perceptions of safety and freedom from crime neighbourhood and may be essential to maintain can all affect an individual’s ability and readiness one’s social network. In addition, public transport to get out and about and maintain their social provides a space where people are in close connections (van den Berg et al. 2015). proximity and where social interactions can take place. Being able to use the public transport network isn’t just about getting around. It is also about 5. https://www.princes-trust.org.uk/support-our-work/news-views/ feeling part of the community and having a anxiety-is-gripping-young-lives chance to interact with other people, especially 6. While mobility has a range of meanings, here it refers to how on the bus network (Green et al. 2014). The people travel in the course of their everyday lives (Green et al. 2014). Isolation and loneliness 19