Addressing loneliness requires creating more opportunities for people to connect with others in their everyday lives. University of Bath researchers Dr Andrew Manley, Dr Haydn Morgan, Saoirse Fitzgerald and Dr Sam Carr highlight the importance of investing in social infrastructure and trusted community organisations, alongside long-term funding, to create the conditions for people and communities to connect and thrive.
Loneliness is a global challenge, affecting around one in six people and contributing to hundreds of thousands of deaths annually, according to the World Health Organization. Experiences of loneliness have risen sharply in the UK, particularly among young people and those experiencing poverty.
Loneliness is often described as a personal experience, as individuals lack relationships or struggle to connect with others. However, it is not simply a consequence of individual circumstances – it is just as much about places, systems and the opportunities that people have to participate in community life, and is shaped by social and structural inequalities.
Our recent study involved interviews with 20 community organisations and multiple stakeholders across Bath and North East Somerset, and Bristol that are working to address social isolation and support community development. Several common themes emerged.
The role of place in shaping loneliness
The gradual loss of local amenities, youth clubs, libraries, community centres, cafés and other social spaces has weakened opportunities for everyday connection. These places do much more than provide services – they create the conditions in which relationships can form and communities can flourish.
Many of the neighbourhoods represented in the study had experienced long-term disinvestment and were frequently characterised by negative public narratives. When communities are viewed as ‘left behind’ or treated as ‘no-go areas’, this stigma does not simply affect reputation; it can influence how residents feel about themselves and their neighbourhood, as well as their willingness to engage with wider society.
Transport and connectivity are also important factors, with poor public transport links, administrative boundaries and fragmented local geographies acting as practical barriers to participation. Loneliness is increasingly a question of infrastructure as much as individual wellbeing.
Why neutral spaces matter
One of the striking messages in our research was the value of ‘neutral spaces’ – places and community organisations that bring people together through shared interests and activities rather than where they live or how they identify. Community kitchens, sports programmes, arts sessions and green space initiatives can be powerful ways to build social connections.
These spaces remove some of the barriers associated with formal support services. People are not required to define themselves by a problem or a need. Instead, they participate in an enjoyable activity and relationships develop organically. Neutral spaces are particularly important for young people, many of whom experience uncertainty around identity, belonging and the future.
Neutral spaces can also help overcome territorial boundaries between neighbourhoods. By creating opportunities for people from different communities to interact in informal settings, they can challenge misconceptions, reduce social divisions and strengthen community cohesion.
The power of community connectors
Trusted relationships are essential. Meaningful change is developed through sustained, relational work rather than short-term programmes. ‘Community connectors’ – individuals with deep local knowledge and trusted relationships within their neighbourhoods – play a vital role in this. Often local residents themselves, they act as bridges between individuals, services and community opportunities.
People are also more likely to engage with local community organisations than local authorities or other formal services. Community organisations therefore play a critical role not only in delivering activities but also in reaching people who might otherwise remain disconnected from support.
Importantly, this relational work cannot be rushed. Building trust takes time, consistency and a sustained presence. Simply ‘showing up’ repeatedly can be a crucial first step in creating the relationships that underpin long-term change.
A challenge for policy
While the value of community-based approaches is clear, community organisations face significant barriers. Chief among these is funding. Short-term funding cycles often undermine the very conditions needed to reduce loneliness. When programmes end abruptly or organisations are forced to scale back activity, relationships that have taken years to establish can be lost.
Existing approaches to monitoring and evaluation can often struggle to capture relational work. Trust, belonging and social connection are rarely straightforward outcomes. Their impact may only become visible months or even years later, making them difficult to measure through traditional evaluation frameworks. A broader understanding of impact – with qualitative evidence, lived experience and long-term narratives of change sitting alongside quantitative metrics – would offer a better assessment of the value of community interventions.
Equally, policies implemented to address loneliness require a systems-level response that spans housing, education, transport, health and community development. If policymakers are serious about addressing loneliness, they must invest in the relational foundations of community life. That means recognising social infrastructure as essential, supporting trusted community connectors, enabling long-term funding and valuing the slow but powerful work of relationship building. Community organisations are already demonstrating what works. The challenge now is ensuring that policy frameworks and funding arrangements allow that work to thrive.
About the authors: Dr Andrew Manley and Dr Haydn Morgan are Senior Lecturers in the Department for Health at the University of Bath. Saoirse Fitzgerald is a PhD student in the University’s Department of Psychology. Dr Sam Carr is a Reader in the University’s Department of Education.
All articles posted on this blog give the views of the author(s), and not the position of the IPR, nor of the University of Bath.
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