• Poll of over 10,000 Brits examines social isolation and the state of belonging in the UK
• Liverpool Riverside reported being the loneliest out of all of Liverpool’s constituencies (39%), with more than one in four residents also reporting low life satisfaction
• More than one in four Liverpool residents also reported feeling unsafe after dark
• The Belonging Forum is campaigning for practical, affordable initiatives to end social isolation

Liverpool, 13 May 2024: Over one third of Liverpudlians report feeling lonely, the largest-ever poll on belonging in the UK has revealed.

In the city, Liverpool Riverside prevailed as the loneliest out of all constituencies, with 39% of respondents in this area agreeing that they feel lonely always or often.

Liverpool West Derby followed closely behind with 36%, followed by Liverpool Walton (34%), Liverpool Watertree (34%), and Liverpool Garston (32%). This is significantly higher than the general population average of 29%.

Liverpool Riverside also features in the top 10 of all constituencies in the UK for residents reporting they do not feel a sense of belonging to their neighbourhood or street – with over half (51%) feeling this way.

When it came to overall life satisfaction, more than one in four (26%) of Liverpool Riverside respondents reported feeling dissatisfied with their lives, followed by Liverpool Walton (18%), and Liverpool Garston, Liverpool West Derby and Liverpool Watertree (17%).

This sense of loneliness and dissatisfaction extended to negative feelings around their local area too, with 38% of respondents in Liverpool Walton feeling unsafe after dark, followed by Liverpool West Derby (35%), Liverpool Watertree (32%), Liverpool Riverside (32%), and Liverpool Garston (28%).

The research aims to examine social isolation and people’s sense of belonging in modern Britain, as well as inform a series of policies and initiatives that the Belonging Forum will campaign for, known as the Charter for Belonging.

For communities across the country, these initiatives are likely to include improved shared green spaces, more inter-generational socials, and more local festivals and events.

The research showed that these types of initiatives are welcomed by the residents of Liverpool, with 52% of those in Liverpool Riverside interested in having more spaces for people to meet, 55% in more local festivals and events, 58% in more green spaces and 55% in inter-generational social events.

Kim Samuel, Founder of the Belonging Forum and author of On Belonging: Finding Connection in an Age of Isolation, said: “Our research – the first of its kind in the UK – has identified acute issues regarding loneliness and social isolation in communities across the UK.”

“Whilst cities may seem to be places of hustle and bustle, these findings clearly demonstrate that loneliness can strike those who appear to be surrounded by it all – even in a city such as Liverpool, which is renowned for being a vibrant cultural and creative hub.”

“Informed by the research, our Charter for Belonging will outline common sense and affordable ways to help people mix with different generations, overcome shared challenges, and form lasting connections with others in their community – whilst also providing the safe spaces to do so.”

“We need our public, private and third sectors to come together to take decisive action to address this issue—and we now want to hear from the public about what policies and initiatives they want to see us campaign for.”