UK’s Policy Against Loneliness: A Connected Society

Abstract

With social changes, loneliness is drawing increasing attention as a new social risk factor. In 2018, the UK established the “Ministry of Loneliness,” the first-ever of its kind in the world, with the head of the “Department for Culture, Media, and Sport doubling up as the minister, and announced a 5-year strategic plan for “A Connected Society.” The plan sets out three goals: “reducing the stigma attached to loneliness”; “inspiring societal change”; and “building up the understanding and evidence base of loneliness”. The principles that guided the development of this plan are: “working in partnership” with stakeholders; “a willingness to examine, iterate, and learn”; “ensuring a truly cross-cutting and cross-departmental approach”; “focusing on the key trigger points, alongside preventive action”; and “recognizing the importance of personalized approaches and local solutions.” The UK government is at work monitoring the plan’s implementation and publishing an annual report on the outcomes, while also continuing with public awareness campaigns and “social prescribing.” This article examines the responses the UK government has instituted in response to the problem of loneliness and discusses the policy implications they might have for Korea.