“Where’s the ghost of Christmas Present when we need him?”

The annual housing survey has been announced and it all looks pretty much as you may expect. More people are owning homes, more people extending and improving homes, fewer people living in social renting and more in private renting. ….So……“Nothing to see here – move along!”

….that is ….until we get to the bit about loneliness. I was shocked to see that those living in social housing are three times more likely to be lonely than those in the private ownership sector!

We are told that loneliness can be as damaging to our health as smoking and diabetes but I wonder if we put as much resource into fixing it as we do in smoking and healthy eating campaigns? Loneliness costs the state £9,500 per person per year ₁.

Social Housing may not be owned by the Government but these are homes that the state has some control over; they are regulated and measured by the government more than ever before.

But how can they or we affect change in the area of loneliness?

We know from independent research that being part of an almshouse community, however small, can create a great sense of belonging and significant reduction in the feelings of isolation. Almshouses have been playing their part in offering affordable housing in our communities for over a thousand years.

Almshouse charities, originally set up by philanthropists and now run by volunteer trustees are built on a bedrock of compassion and companionship to provide homes for people that need them. The almshouse model may not be for everyone but trustees and residents will always try to make sure no one is lonely in their home.

Almshouses are not the silver bullet to loneliness, or to the housing crisis, but we may well be in a good position to talk to Government about the almshouse model and how is it’s inherent neighbourliness can help social housing residents experience companionship and all the nice things that go with it. Especially at this time of year.

I do hope that you are all able to enjoy a warm and joyful Christmas and I wish you good health and happiness in 2024. And in the spirit of the season, lets all make that call or stop for a chat with someone we know may be feeling lonely today.

Nick Phillips CEO | The Almshouse Association