• Poll of 10,000 Brits examines social isolation and how to foster belonging in the UK
• Two in five of people living with disabilities experience loneliness, compared to 29% of the general population
• Two-thirds of people living with disabilities feel left out of political systems, which is higher than the general population
• The Belonging Forum is calling on partners and the public to inform practical initiatives to end social isolation and build belonging

People living with disabilities are significantly more likely to report feeling lonely than the general population, a landmark poll of more than 10,000 Brits has revealed.

The poll found that two in five (40%) of people living with disabilities experience loneliness, compared to 29% of those who did not report having a disability – a difference of 38%.  

The research, released by the Belonging Forum, also revealed a shocking 14% of people with a disability report no close friends while one in five feel lonely often or always.

People with disabilities are also more likely to feel more anxious and less likely to feel satisfied with their lives. According to research by the ONS, people with disabilities aged 16 to 64 years had poorer ratings than non-disabled people on all four personal well-being measures – life satisfaction, feeling things are worthwhile, happiness and anxiety yesterday. Average anxiety levels were also higher for people with disabilities.   

Specifically, the Belonging Forum’s poll revealed that 45% of those with a disability reported feeling anxious yesterday, compared to 36% of the general population. More than half (51%) felt satisfied overall with their life, which is noticeably lower than 67% the general population.  

The poll also indicated they are more physically isolated than the general population. A quarter reported never going to a pub, bar, or coffee shop with their friends, which increases to 32% for those aged 45-54 who have a disability. This compares to 17% of the general population.

Meanwhile, 63% of those with a disability feel safe walking on their own near their home after dark compared to 72% of the general population.  

Those with disabilities also felt more left out of political systems. The poll found disabled people are more likely to feel the government doesn’t consider their needs compared to the general population (66% vs. 56%).

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

The Charter will include a diverse set of ideas and initiatives developed in partnership with leading organisations and people on the frontline.

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—identified acute issues drawn along lines including age, home ownership, and gender. 

“But one of the groups being hit the hardest is people with disabilities. In people with disabilities, whether they are physical, developmental or mental-health related, being socially connected is associated with higher levels of self-rated mental health, health and life satisfaction.

“Belonging is our birthright. It’s also a helpful framework for building a more resilient society.

“We call on our public, private and third sectors to take decisive action to build and strengthen vital connections within and between our communities.”

ENDS

About the Belonging Forum 

• The Belonging Forum was created by the Samuel Centre for Social Connectedness, a global organisation that has been working with partners around the world to understand and address social isolation and belonging since 2017.  
• The Belonging Forum is focused on convening partners and the public to generate simple, practical solutions that have cross-party support in the UK.  
• It argues that if belonging is enshrined in policy and decision-making, social problems associated with isolation—such as poor mental health, apathy, and poorly integrated communities – will be reduced.
• It seeks to persuade policy makers and regulators to act and convene charities, not replicate their work, and inspire grassroots action.  
• The aim is to use this landmark research to provide the basis for a Charter for Belonging which will outline simple, proven initiatives communities can implement to address social isolation and build belonging in key groups, including students, younger women, renters, older people and people with disabilities.  
• The polling can be found in a report — The Belonging Barometer— here.

Notes to editors:

• The research was carried out by Opinium on behalf of the Belonging Forum and surveyed a nationally representative sample of 10,002 UK adults The survey was conducted between 24 November and 13 December 2023.
• The research also included multi-level regression and post-stratification (MRP) analysis of several questions, giving insights into them at a parliamentary constituency level across the UK.
• The Belonging Forum is appealing for input from policymakers, the public and partner organisations on what effective policies to include in a Charter for Belonging that will address the pressing problems identified by the research. Contributions are welcome at belonging@pagefield.co.uk