5. What is the support landscape like for loneliness in the UK? Existing barriers to effective fragmented services and support – e.g. provided loneliness support and current by a mix of voluntary and community groups, gaps in understanding informal social networks, statutory services and support, employers and businesses, and so on. Overall, both the participants and experts who Experts expressed concern that their services contributed were critical of the existing landscape and support may not be reaching the ‘right of support for loneliness in the UK, raising real people’, i.e. that those in need of support may concerns about the visibility and adequacy of not be coming into contact with people and support available; gaps in provision for most organisations that could best provide guidance groups; limited accessibility and sustainability and signposting. of services and support; a dearth of informal support services and often fragmented delivery. “As much as we think we’re telling people While there was an acknowledgment of areas of about our services there are thousands and thousands of people who don’t know… good practice in the delivery of loneliness support (including some good provision for older people We do information sharing, community and the use of digital forums to complement calendars, adverts at libraries but people still other forms of support) participants and experts say ‘When I found out it was like a light-bulb.” were generally critical of the current support (Expert, Community) landscape. Views across four key challenges are The lack of awareness of what was available was summarised in the sections to follow.confirmed by our survey with the public. Over half (54%) of respondents in the general public Lack of awareness of services and survey agreed that: “I wouldn’t know who or support and poor signposting where to turn to if I was experiencing loneliness”, with the same proportion agreeing among those Experts noted that a key difficulty in helping in the target groups of interest. Among those in people to access the support they needed the target groups who also claimed to be always was ensuring that services and support were or often lonely, who would most benefit from effectively promoted and visible. This could be support, 75% agreed that they wouldn’t know particularly challenging in an environment of where to turn for help. Figure 11. Individual-level drivers of loneliness% agree Any target group (total)54 Have limited access to transport 66 Long-term physical/mental health conditions/illnesses59 Health issues impacting ability to get around59 Aged 35+ divorced/separated in last 12 months55 Source Q4: How much Experienced bereavement in last 2 years54do you agree or disagree Aged 55+ and retired 46 that: I wouldn’t know who or where to turn to if I was Aged 55+ with no children at home44 experiencing loneliness? Any target group AND always/often lonely Base: All UK adults aged 75 16+ (2,523) What is the support landscape like for loneliness in the UK? 34