Policy paper

Emerging Together: the Tackling Loneliness Network Action Plan

Published 8 May 2021

Ministerial foreword

Many of us know what loneliness feels like, but it is a very personal emotion and can be the result of different circumstances. We also know there is no quick fix that will make an immediate difference for everyone. The government’s approach to tackling loneliness aims to put the individual at the heart of the solution, recognising the role that all of us can play in making a difference by reaching out to others. This includes championing the role of volunteering, which can provide people who are feeling lonely with a way to reduce their own feelings of loneliness whilst supporting others. It also means supporting the local groups that provide opportunities for people to connect through their shared interests, as well as reducing digital exclusion so that people can choose the online connections they want and need.

The government cannot achieve this alone. Working in partnership across businesses, charities and public sector organisations allows us to be more innovative and reach more people, ultimately making a greater difference to those who are lonely.

The Tackling Loneliness Network was formed as part of the government’s plan to tackle loneliness during coronavirus (COVID-19), bringing together over 70 organisations from across sectors. The scale and diversity of the Network’s membership reflects the government’s ambitious approach to tackling loneliness, and our commitment to finding innovative ways to engage organisations and individuals from all areas of society. This is the first time we have worked with such a wide range of organisations to tackle this important issue. We asked members to share their expertise, learn from one another and develop actions that government and network members could work together to deliver over the next year.

The network’s vision is for a partnership of equals, with everyone bringing their own unique experience, knowledge and communities to the table. Everyone contributes, because everyone is passionate about doing their bit to support connection.

I have been struck by the breadth of the conversations that the Network has generated, and the ideas and proposals put forward by members. This report sets out actions generated through these discussions, focussing on initiatives where we can have an immediate impact as part of supporting a connected recovery from COVID-19. These actions will help empower people to seek support if they are feeling isolated, and enable people who are lonely to build more meaningful connections.

Key actions include:

1. Bringing together funders interested in social connection to share learning and look for opportunities to align and join up funding where possible.

2. Creating volunteering opportunities that build connection, particularly for people experiencing loneliness

3. Exploring a range of opportunities to tackle digital exclusion, including how government’s Inclusive Economy Partnership can facilitate high-impact partnerships between government, business and civil society to support digital inclusion

A full list of all the recommendations developed by the Network is outlined at the end of this report: government and other Network members will keep these in mind to shape our longer-term work programme.

This report is jointly owned by government and Network members and we will be working together to implement the actions it sets out over the coming year. At the heart of this work is the knowledge that our response needs to be varied, but must always keep the individual person at the centre.

Moving forward, we know there will be a large number of people who felt lonely and isolated long before the pandemic and will continue to feel this way after restrictions are lifted, or those who will have lost confidence and need support to re-connect. Working in partnership to reach those individuals will continue to be a priority for the government.

I want to thank the chairs of the Network’s task and finish groups for their hard work and commitment and for all the contributions from Network members. It’s now more vital than ever that we work together towards a connected society, and I look forward to seeing the fruits of the Network’s work.

The Tackling Loneliness Network

The Tackling Loneliness Network is collaborative, recognising that a whole society approach to tackling loneliness is essential. This includes recognising the role that individuals can play in tackling loneliness both in themselves and others. We know that no one sector has all the answers, but by working together we can have a greater impact and reach more people. We consulted members ahead of agreeing the areas the Network would focus on this year, which were:

1. Tackling loneliness in young people

2. Tackling loneliness in older people

3. Local and place-based approaches to tackling loneliness

4. Digital inclusion

These four themes became four task and finish groups. The groups shared evidence and best practice and developed actions to take forward.

We’ve grouped these actions into two themes, as there was significant crossover between the groups’ conclusions:

Task and finish group chairs

Digital inclusion:

Kerensa Jennings - BT Group
Rich Denyer-Bewick - formerly of Citizens Online

Local and place-based approaches to tackling loneliness:

Jo Crease - Together Co
Patrick Vernon - Centre for Ageing Better

Tackling loneliness in older people:

Morgan Vine - Independent Age
Gavin Terry - Alzheimer’s Society
Emma Bould - formerly of Alzheimer’s Society

Tackling loneliness in young people:

John McMahon & Lucy Macnab - Arts Council
Sophie England - Facebook

Rich Denyer-Bewick and Emma Bould have now moved on from their roles as Chairs

I’ve been so inspired by seeing the passion and imagination that our contributors have brought to tackling loneliness in their areas. I’m really keen to share this with others so we can show how loneliness is a critical and cross cutting issue in localities, but also how effectively it can be tackled at this level.

Jo Crease, Together Co

Theme 1: Supporting organisations to tackle loneliness

The organisations and people we come into contact with in our day to day lives, from the GP surgery to the local corner shop, can play an important role in tackling loneliness. Each of these interactions provides an opportunity to signpost individuals to support, whether that is guidance online or local services. As the Network itself shows, organisations from across sectors all have a role to play. Despite unprecedented challenges, communities and organisations have done a brilliant job to help keep us connected during the pandemic by adapting their services and offers. Learning and sharing these experiences can help embed best practice for a connected recovery and beyond.

Tackling Loneliness Champions

As part of the Network, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) and the British Red Cross have created the Tackling Loneliness Champions pledge to support and encourage organisations to take further action to tackle loneliness.

This will involve signatory organisations:

1. Sharing learning. For example, by:
   
   • Sharing their own learning and committing to learn from others via the new Tackling Loneliness Hub.
   
   • Buddying up with other organisations to share best and worst practice, through peer-to-peer learning and taking part in relevant learning groups organised by Network partners

2. Improving evaluation. For example, by:
   
   • Attending loneliness evaluation training sessions and workshops
   
   • Cascading evaluation learning and tools through their organisations and networks.

3. Upskilling their people. For example, by:
   
   • Amplifying loneliness messaging during Loneliness Awareness Week and through wider communications.
   
   • Supporting the Co-op Foundation’s Lonely Not Alone campaign to tackle the stigma of youth loneliness.
   
   • Considering how to adopt learning from the Tackling Loneliness Employer’s guide.
   
   • Raising awareness and talking about the issue through joint workshops or events.

Tackling Loneliness Champions will engage with each other throughout the year to update on progress and identify opportunities to share, improve and upskill.

The organisations who have already signed up to be Tackling Loneliness Champions are listed at Annex C, and we will encourage more organisations to take the pledge over time

Sharing resources and learning

The Tackling Loneliness Hub

Government will shortly be launching a new digital platform, the Tackling Loneliness Hub, to support organisations interested in tackling loneliness to share evidence, insights and ideas. The Hub will be run by Campaign to End Loneliness and What Works Centre for Wellbeing and will support organisations to expand their networks and identify new opportunities for partnership working at both a local and a national level. Through increased access to research, guidance and best practice, organisations will have the opportunity to increase their understanding of loneliness and what works to tackle it.

DCMS will use the Tackling Loneliness Hub to gather insights on people’s individual experiences of loneliness and what they feel will make the most difference to them.

Alongside the Tackling Loneliness Hub, Network members will also individually share resources and learning, including:

• DCMS has commissioned the Campaign to End Loneliness to produce a short report bringing together emerging good practice on how employers can support social connections amongst their staff, drawing on the expertise of Network members and employers.

• The Association of Convenience Stores will engage its membership on the issue of loneliness by producing a guide on wellbeing and tackling loneliness.

• Centre for Ageing Better will share learning from its Connected Communities programmes and evidence of what works to support more people to enjoy the wellbeing benefits of social connections and inclusive approaches which support community participation.

Convening organisations

Members of the Network have agreed to convene groups on specific strategic issues:

• Together Co will convene a local Tackling Loneliness Network for organisations, communities, agencies and businesses that want to be part of a connected recovery in Brighton & Hove.

• DCMS is exploring a range of opportunities to tackle digital exclusion, including how the Inclusive Economy Partnership can facilitate high-impact partnerships between government, business and civil society to support digital inclusion. The group will seek to amplify existing initiatives, help proven on-the-ground solutions to scale and pioneer innovative responses, including to tackle loneliness.

• DCMS will convene two new groups: the Social Connection Funders Group and a group of organisations interested in coordinating research activity to fill priority gaps in our understanding of the issues surrounding loneliness.

• The Digital Inclusion task and finish group will host a workshop, facilitated by Red Badger, to identify a pathway to scaling a third sector and business collaboration pilot model to improve access to devices, data and help desk support. Led by Social Mobility Business Partnership (SMBP), Meggitt and Vodafone the pilot model involved Meggitt using its existing relationship with Vodafone to provide 4G enabled tablets (protected by MobileIron) and first line help desk support to students from low income backgrounds attending the SMBP 2020 virtual work experience programme.

It has been a privilege to work with DCMS and all the participants from both the charitable and private sectors. The TLN Digital Inclusion group always had vibrantly productive conversations which helped show the power of diversity, listening and sharing. Each time we met, members remarked on how much they learned from each other, and appreciated the opportunity to contribute insights and recommendations. There has never been a more important moment to try to tackle loneliness.

Kerensa Jennings, BT Group

Funding

The Tackling Loneliness Network recognises that voluntary and community groups play a huge part in tackling loneliness by providing services and activities that help people build and maintain social connections. Government has supported this activity recently through the Loneliness COVID-19 Fund (launched in June 2020 and increased by £2 million in December 2020, alongside further funding for arts, radio and libraries). This was alongside the £34 million provided to organisations delivering projects tackling loneliness during 2020 through the government’s £750 million charity funding package and our £2 million contribution to the Local Connections Fund.

Social Connection Funders Group

DCMS will convene a new group of funders interested in social connection, meeting regularly to share learning and look for opportunities to align and join up funding where possible. The first meeting was held in April 2021 and founder members include the National Lottery Community Fund, Nesta, Coop Foundation, the National Academy for Social Prescribing, the Centre for Ageing Better, and Spirit of 2012 Trust.

Organisations including loneliness in their strategic planning

As we emerge from the pandemic, organisations have an opportunity to thread loneliness through their future planning. Specific actions that Network members are taking in this space include:

• The Post Office will consider connectedness as a specific theme in its Corporate Social Responsibility strategy.

• The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) will continue to consider the role of the planning system in reducing loneliness and social isolation in future amendments to national planning policy and associated guidance.

• Throughout the pandemic, volunteers have played a key role in tackling social isolation and loneliness. DCMS will now work to build a volunteering legacy that supports individual wellbeing and connected communities, developing policy to: i) help level up volunteering infrastructure; ii) simplify routes into volunteering, including for people who are lonely, by removing obstacles, and; iii) leverage government’s links with the voluntary sector, to collaborate on volunteering policy.

Supporting local councils

We know that local councils have a central role to play in tackling loneliness in local communities, as they hold many of the levers that can help tackle loneliness, such as local transport routes and supporting local voluntary groups.

• DCMS will support more councils to tackle loneliness by working with organisations including the LGA, National Association of Local Councils, What Works Centre for Wellbeing, Campaign to End Loneliness, Centre for Ageing Better and British Red Cross to support local councils to take action on loneliness, build social connections and link up on existing work. This will include a space for councils on the Tackling Loneliness Hub to share resources, insights and case studies.

We believe that community centred approaches to building connections lies at the heart of tackling loneliness - creating the conditions for people and places to thrive, especially in context of responding to the inequalities laid bare by COVID-19 by delivering a connected recovery.

Jo Crease, Together Co & Patrick Vernon, Ageing Better

Theme 2: Supporting individuals to tackle loneliness

Reducing stigma

Reducing the stigma associated with loneliness is one of the core objectives of the government’s Tackling Loneliness Strategy. Since 2019, we have been supporting a national conversation on loneliness to reduce this stigma through our Let’s Talk Loneliness campaign.

We will build on the success of the Let’s Talk Loneliness campaign, generating a national conversation on loneliness, working in partnership across the Tackling Loneliness Network and beyond. We know that, as lockdown and social distancing restrictions ease, some people will find it harder than others to rebuild social connections.

Long periods of loneliness and isolation can result in people losing confidence, making it more difficult for them to trust and build connections with others. By using its platforms to share messages about loneliness and signposting to support, the Network will seek to ensure that people who still feel lonely after lockdowns ease, or who have been lonely for a longer period, are not forgotten and can access the support that can help them connect with others.

We will seek to maximise the reach of our loneliness messaging so that more people are aware that loneliness is a normal emotion, feel able to talk openly about the issue, and know what to do if they or someone they know is feeling lonely.

• DCMS will continue to engage with broadcasters including Channel 4 and ITV to identify opportunities to work together to achieve this, reaching a wider audience.

• We will also ensure that the campaign supports young people, recognising that this group is at particular risk of loneliness. DCMS will work with The Mix, UK Youth, the Co-Op Foundation and Facebook to promote resources on loneliness aimed at young people.

Signposting individuals to support

Network members, including the government, are committed to using our platforms and networks to signpost support services as effectively as possible, so people know where to go for help when they most need it.

• Recognising the importance of loneliness support for people who have been bereaved and are grieving, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) will work with bereavement organisations to disseminate guidance and best practice on supporting people who have been bereaved, including via the Tackling Loneliness Hub, and will signpost to bereavement support.

• NHS England and Improvement will continue to prioritise improving older people’s access to and uptake of IAPT services, including building on their existing work with VCS organisations to promote the support available through IAPT to older people.

• Healthcare workers can play an important role in signposting individuals to support. Health Education England (HEE) will launch an e-learning module on loneliness and isolation for healthcare workers over the summer, supporting healthcare workers to spot the signs of loneliness and to understand how they can help. As part of the rollout of the scheme, HEE will highlight some of the specific barriers some people may face to build confidence and overcome loneliness once lockdowns lift, to further support healthcare workers to tackle loneliness as part of a connected recovery.

• NHS England, DHSC, HEE and DCMS will also explore further ways to signpost people to social prescribing and other loneliness support.

• Social prescribing already plays a leading role in tackling loneliness. Social prescribing link workers connect people to relevant community groups and statutory services who provide emotional or practical support. To ensure that social prescribing meets young people’s specific needs, NHS England and Improvement is developing a toolkit to support primary care networks (PCNs) and partners to expand their social prescribing offer to children and young people, with particular focus on mental health and loneliness. They will work with external partners to expand activities for link workers to refer children and young people to.

• JCDecaux operates a growing network of 100+ free, fast wifi spots on high streets across the UK. JCDecaux has committed to look at how relevant content to help signpost young people to support and services could be included on these wifi spots.

• DCMS will ensure that hard-to-reach areas don’t miss out on lightning-fast next generation broadband through its new £5 billion programme, Project Gigabit. This will help people to access support online and to stay in touch with friends and families.

• WhatsApp will develop a chatbot messaging service in partnership with a select number of UK charities and NGOs. The free to use service will offer anyone impacted by loneliness a simple and secure way to find information and support services.

It has been a real privilege to represent Facebook on the Tackling Loneliness Network over the past year and to work with such an inspiring network of companies, organisations and individuals… While there are many fantastic resources and services open to those impacted by loneliness, it can be really difficult to know where to go to find them. The WhatsApp chatbot messaging service will provide a free and simple way to access this information, ensuring that anyone impacted by loneliness can find the support they need.

Sophie England, Facebook

The Tackling Loneliness Network older adults task and finish group was lucky to encompass both local and national, large and small organisations. Some provided services to people in later life, others focused on sport, arts, culture and the media…it was a privilege to listen to the group’s experiences, insights and ideas, and shape these into recommendations which we can work towards to improve people’s lives…one key theme our group focused on was the huge impact bereavement is having on people throughout the pandemic.

Morgan Vine, Independent Age

Next steps for the Tackling Loneliness Network

Government and Network members will now begin to put these commitments into action over the coming year, supporting a connected recovery from COVID-19. We will provide an update against progress in the next Tackling Loneliness Annual Report in 2022.

Annex A: List of Tackling Loneliness Network members

• Arts Council England
• Association of Convenience Stores
• Age UK
• Alzheimer’s Society
• ASDA
• Aviva
• Befriending Networks
• BBC
• British Red Cross
• BT
• Business in the community
• Campaign to End Loneliness
• The Cares Family
• Centre for Ageing Better
• Chatty Cafe Scheme
• Chrysalis Programme
• Citizens Online
• Channel 4
• Co-op Foundation
• Company Three
• Contact
• The Diana Award
• Digital Unite
• Diversity and Ability
• English Football League
• Esme’s Umbrella
• Facebook
• Faith Action
• Giffgaff
• Go Ahead
• Good Things Foundation
• Historic England
• Independent Age
• IBM
• JC Decaux UK
• Jo Cox Foundation
• Local Government Association
• LGBT Foundation
• Lendlease
• Libraries Connected
• Linking Lives UK
• Loneliness Lab / Collectively
• Loneliness Exchange
• Mars Petcare
• Manchester Museum
• Match Group
• The Mix
• National Academy for Social Prescribing
• National Association of Local Councils
• National Lottery Community Fund
• National Lottery Heritage Fund
• Nationwide Building Society
• Nesta
• Royal Mail
• Positive Transformation
• Post Office
• Premier League
• Re-Engage
• Samaritans
• Santander
• Sense
• Small Charities Commission
• Sports and Recreation Alliance
• Social Mobility Business Partnership
• Supa Talent / Supa Network
• Time to Talk Befriending
• Together Co
• Ukie
• UK Youth
• Dr Daisy Fancourt, University College London
• Wavelength
• What Works Centre for Wellbeing
• Vodafone
• Youth Focus North East
• Zurich Insurance

Other government departments

• Civil Service Employee Policy
• Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
• Department for Education
• Department for Health and Social Care
• Department for Transport
• Health Education England
• NHS England and Improvement
• Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government
• Public Health England

Annex B: The full list of the groups’ recommendations and commitments

Digital Inclusion Task and Finish Group

1	Funding should be provided to help purchase technology for individuals in need, as technology can have a significant positive impact on people’s wellbeing.
2	The Digital Inclusion task and finish group will host a workshop, facilitated by Red Badger, to identify a pathway to scaling a third sector and business collaboration pilot model to improve access to devices, data and help desk support. Led by Social Mobility Business Partnership (SMBP), Meggitt and Vodafone the pilot model involved Meggitt using its existing relationship with Vodafone to provide 4G enabled tablets (protected by MobileIron) and first line help desk support to students from low income backgrounds attending the SMBP 2020 virtual work experience programme.
3	Provide support when delivering free devices, based on an assessment of individual needs, so that devices have maximum benefit for recipients and outputs can be measured. This could include training for staff and those receiving devices, or an impacts needs assessment.
4	There should be a means tested access to a minimum standard of broadband.

Local and Place Task and Finish Group

1	The Association of Convenience Stores will engage its membership on the issue of loneliness by producing a guide on wellbeing and tackling loneliness
2	Civil society organisations should prioritise building connections and addressing loneliness within their existing and new activities, adopting evidence based and all age-friendly and inclusive approaches and evaluating impact
3	Create a local fund for strategic work to support innovations which build connections and address loneliness.
4	Create a local or Integrated Care System level fund to resource delivery of community activities and community building work identified in areas’ loneliness strategies.
5	Connectedness should be explicitly included in the changes to the Planning Framework currently under review, to ensure that changes to the built environment actively improve conditions for connection.
6	Funding for Local Government should reflect their essential role in creating, commissioning and curating the social infrastructure in their areas.
7	DCMS will support more councils to tackle loneliness by working with organisations including the LGA, National Association of Local Councils, What Works Centre for Wellbeing, Campaign to End Loneliness, Centre for Ageing Better and British Red Cross to support local councils to take action on loneliness, build social connections and link up on existing work
8	Local areas should develop strategies to address loneliness and build social connections, co-produced with local communities
9	Local authorities should prioritise engagement of civil society and at risk groups in development of local strategies which build social connections, address loneliness and support prevention.
10	Loneliness and connection should be a key output of all infrastructure, job creation and stimulus schemes
11	National Academy for Social Prescribing (NASP) should work to develop funding at ICS level through Thriving Communities, and to commit to strengthening the focus on loneliness.
12	NHS England should work with Integrated Care Systems (ICS) to embed approaches which embed loneliness through creating conditions for connection in ICS-level plans and through their guidance to ICS
13	Organisations from across sectors should all commit to a “Connected Recovery”, which puts creating the conditions for connection and therefore tackling loneliness, at the heart of decisions about recovery.
14	The Post Office will consider connectedness as a specific theme in its Corporate Social Responsibility strategy.
15	Centre for Ageing Better will share learning from its Connected Communities programmes and evidence of what works to support more people to enjoy the wellbeing benefits of social connections and inclusive approaches which support community participation.
16	Together Co will explore a local tackling loneliness network for organisations, communities, agencies and businesses that want to be part of a connected recovery in Brighton & Hove.

Older People Task and Finish Group

1	Accelerate the targeted rollout of digital connectivity in areas with no/low or poor connectivity.
2	Address volunteer supply and demand issues by sharing data on volunteers across different local areas. NHSE&I, DHSC and DCMS should signpost and promote other volunteering opportunities for NHS Volunteers. They should explore how to share information on volunteers in different regions and localities with VCSE organisations to help address supply and demand issues. This should be done in partnership with VCSE organisations to factor in their capacity.
3	Broadcasters and the media sector should work together to raise awareness of loneliness and social isolation, provide advice and guidance, and signpost to support.
4	Create low cost broadband tariffs for older people on low incomes.
5	Designate care home visitors as key workers so they can access the same testing as care home staff and residents
6	Develop a long-term funding plan to create a sustainable model for front line loneliness services
7	Develop a place-based approach to funding for local loneliness support offers, working with local authorities.
8	Encourage telecommunication and entertainment providers to provide additional support for older people, volunteers and key workers to remain connected via broadband and TV including discounted or free subscriptions.
9	Ensure the new Tackling Loneliness Hub enables organisations providing loneliness support to share best practice, resources, and ways to contact other organisations.
10	Ensure that mental health services are maintained and meet the needs of older people, volunteers and key workers.
11	Ensure bereavement training is provided to those likely to come into contact with people who are bereaved, including people who are experiencing more complex grief as a result of a loved one dying during the COVID-19 pandemic.
12	Promote the establishment of a professional body (e.g. Local Authority or NHS) to take a proactive role in identifying bereaved older people and ensuring they are signposted to support.
13	Establish a pilot fund for innovative programmes that use new approaches to tackle loneliness or target hard to reach groups.
14	Fund local organisations to support digital learning and peer to peer digital support.
15	Government, charities and consumer organisations should develop advice for vulnerable and older people on how to protect themselves from scammers masquerading as befrienders.
16	Government departments should thread consideration of tackling loneliness through their plans for COVID-19 recovery.
17	Government should continue to deliver campaign activity to reduce the stigma associated with loneliness, provide advice and guidance, and signpost to support.
18	Local authorities should be supported to address loneliness and social isolation both during the pandemic and COVID-19 recovery, in particular considering support for people who are digitally excluded.
19	Local authorities should provide wellbeing support alongside practical support offers such as food and medicine deliveries.
20	Local authorities should restore respite care, including for informal carers.
21	Major culture, heritage and sports grants programmes should include tackling loneliness as part of their criteria.
22	Promote the benefits of volunteering, including encouraging employers to support their employees to volunteer, and promote its use among those who are not in employment, education or training.
23	Provide funding for local and national organisations providing loneliness support as part of COVID-19 recovery
24	Provide ongoing support as part of COVID-19 recovery for people who may have lost confidence and/or social connections due to limited social isolation during the pandemic.
25	Provide support for social prescribing link workers to provide tailored support and choice, working with local Voluntary and Community Sector groups.
26	Review the current barriers to accessing IAPT for people aged 65+ and develop innovative actions, including working with the voluntary sector on targeted communication plans, to increase the number of people in later life who receive this treatment.
27	Support local organisations to increase the promotion and take-up of digital learning and peer to peer digital support
28	Support NHS Volunteer Responders to access volunteering opportunities with other organisations through better information sharing.
29	Telecommunication companies should write to older people at risk of loneliness to outline the benefits of getting online and signposting organisations that can help.
30	The National Citizen Service should include loneliness as one of their priority themes, encouraging young people who take part to direct their social action towards older people who are experiencing loneliness.
31	The Voluntary and Community sector should continue to collaborate on their work to tackle loneliness to improve the reach and delivery of services.
32	Voluntary and Community Sector organisations who deliver befriending and loneliness support services should continue to adapt their processes and services to COVID-19.
33	Voluntary and Community Sector organisations should ensure that loneliness resources and support services are delivered in multiple languages and accessible formats.
34	Voluntary and Community Sector organisations should develop and share plans among the sector on preparing for emergency situations.
35	Where local restrictions are in place, funding should be made available for areas under more severe local restrictions to scale up support for those at risk of loneliness.

Young People Task and Finish Group

1	WhatsApp will fund and develop a chatbot messaging service that directs young people affected by loneliness to information and support services based on their need. This could be adapted for all age groups.
2	Develop a social prescribing offer for young people.
3	Encourage network providers to roll out zero rating for support websites permanently. (O2 have done this during the pandemic).
4	Identify, develop and share best practice in embedding youth mental health and wellbeing support, including loneliness, in programmes for young people.
5	Increase mental health first aid training for organisations and professionals working with young people
6	Provide access to data, free of charge to young people in safe and trusted environments.
7	Provide content via free wifi spots to help young people access loneliness support. JCDecaux has committed to look at how relevant content to help signpost young people to support and services could be included on these wifi spots.
8	Use Tackling Loneliness Hub to provide resources to help improve online delivery of support for young people.
9	Work with national partners to consider tailoring existing national mental health resources (e.g. public sector, like Public Health England’s Every Mind Matters; but also Calm, Headspace, Wysa) for young people.

Annex C: List of founder member Loneliness Champions

• Age UK
• Alzheimer’s Society
• Arts Council
• Asda
• Association of Convenience Stores
• Befriending Networks
• Business in the Community (on behalf of the Norwich Together Alliance)
• British Red Cross
• Campaign to End Loneliness
• Centre for Ageing Better
• Channel 4
• Co-op Foundation
• Esme’s Umbrella
• Faith Action
• Go Ahead
• Independent Age
• Jo Cox Foundation
• Linking Lives
• Match.com
• Manchester Museum
• Nesta
• Sense
• The Diana Award
• The National Lottery Community Fund
• Together Co
• Youth Focus North East
• Zurich Community Trust