After having announced a programme for reducing loneliness on 15th October 2018 the DCMS published ‘A connected society. A strategy for tackling loneliness’, a report that sets out the approach to tackling loneliness in England. In the next few years the Government will introduce several measures, in particular:
• Raising awareness about loneliness and fostering connections between communities;
• Improving social prescribing services, connecting the different schemes across the country;
• Encouraging community-led housing programmes;
• Opening accessible spaces for communities;
• Funding a new scheme to address loneliness.
The report fosters an integrated strategy across the sectors.
The heritage sector can play an important role in building bridges with the NHS to expand social prescribing. The Heritage Alliance is working on a report exploring the relationship between Heritage and Health and how heritage volunteering and other activities related to heritage sites can help address loneliness, social exclusion and improve our quality of life.