• Poll of 10,000 Brits examines social isolation and how to foster belonging in the UK
• Renters are more likely than the general population to feel lonely (40% vs. 29%)
• Just 45% of women aged 18-24 know their neighbours compared to 70% of women aged 65+
• The Belonging Forum is calling on partners and the public to inform practical initiatives to end social isolation and build belonging

Renters are more likely to feel lonely and unsafe when walking home after dark than the wider population, and they display less of a sense of belonging and connection to their local area, a poll of more than 10,000 Brits has revealed.  

Just 43% of renters (including private, local authority, and housing authority) say they know their neighbours, compared to 69% of those who own their homes outright.

The research, commissioned by the Belonging Forum, also revealed private renters (excluding local and house authority renters) are more likely to say they are dissatisfied with their friendships (65% vs. 76%) and less likely to report ‘feeling happy yesterday’ (62% vs. 75% of those who own outright).  

Meanwhile, 30% of all renters felt unsafe walking home in the dark compared to 20% of those who own their home; 40% felt lonely compared to 29% of owners; and 65% of renters said they were satisfied with their friendships compared to 76% of outright homeowners.  

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 which the Belonging Forum will campaign for, known as the Charter for Belonging.

The initiatives are likely to include funding for “intergenerational friendship events”—targeted at renters and focused on helping them to build connections with older people and their area—and giving renters new community gardens and priority access to some allotments.

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—identifies acute issues facing people with disabilities, older people, and migrants. 

“But two groups who are not talked about as much are young women and people in rented accommodation. 

“From community gardens to intergenerational friendship events, our Charter for Belonging will outline common sense and affordable ways to help renters and young women put down roots in their local area and connect with others. 

“Renters are a growing section of British society and there are specific measures we can put in place to help them feel like they belong.” 

Young women were another group who showed up in the extensive polling—which examined the UK constituency by constituency—as suffering comparatively bad outcomes and feeling less satisfied with life.  

Whilst 72% of men in the 18-24 category report being satisfied with their life, just 64% of women of the same age did. And 40% of women in this group report being alone at night compared to just 15% of men overall.  

Women in this 18-24 category also reported sharing the same values as their neighbours less than men and much less than women over 65.  

Renters were subdivided into those who let from a private landlord (27%), a local authority (30%), and a housing association (36%), with those in the private landlord category seeing some of the worst outcomes.  

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 used multi-level regression and post-stratification (MRP) polling analysis of several questions, giving insights into them at a parliamentary constituency level across the UK.
• The 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