7% of Rotherham adults feel lonely as new council plan launched
Health leaders warn the issue can be as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
A new plan to tackle loneliness in Rotherham is set to be signed off, as health leaders warn the issue can be as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
The refreshed loneliness action plan, covering 2026 to 2030, will be discussed by Rotherham’s Health and Wellbeing Board on April 1.
Public health officials say loneliness is a growing concern across the borough, affecting both mental and physical health and putting pressure on services such as GPs, hospitals and emergency care.
Figures in the report show that 7.4 per cent of adults in Rotherham say they feel lonely all or most of the time, while surveys found nearly one in five secondary school pupils report chronic loneliness.
The plan aims to tackle the issue across all age groups, with a focus on helping people feel more connected to their communities and improving support for those most at risk.
Health experts say loneliness has been linked to serious conditions including heart disease, stroke, depression and dementia, and can lead to behaviours such as increased drinking, smoking and gambling.
The new strategy is built around three main priorities: making loneliness everyone’s responsibility, strengthening support and awareness, and improving the use of local data to target help where it is most needed.
Actions include training frontline staff to recognise loneliness, promoting local support services and community groups, and encouraging volunteering and neighbourhood-based activities.
The plan also aims to improve how services work together and make better use of local data to identify people at risk earlier.
Officials say loneliness can affect anyone at any stage of life, but is more common among people facing challenges such as ill health, financial pressures or social isolation.
Focus groups carried out in Rotherham found loneliness can lead to serious impacts including poor self-care, sleep problems and, in some cases, suicidal thoughts.
The report also highlights wider risks, including people who are lonely being more vulnerable to scams, exploitation and safeguarding concerns.
Since the first loneliness plan was introduced in 2020, the council and its partners say progress has been made, including funding community projects, training staff and running awareness campaigns.
The updated plan will be overseen by a multi-agency group and delivered over the next four years, with annual updates provided to the Health and Wellbeing Board.
Board members are being asked to support the plan and its approach to reducing loneliness and improving wellbeing across the borough.