“Half of disabled people say they are lonely, and for a quarter this feeling of isolation is present on a typical day. From 10 July – 13 August, Sense will be leading a coalition of disability organisations to shine a spotlight on the issue of loneliness for disabled people and the steps that we can all take to help tackle it.” – Jo Cox Commission on Loneliness

Someone cares if I’m not there

A new report by the charity Sense, Someone cares if I’m not there explores why loneliness affects so many people with disabilities, from the perspective of disabled people themselves.

“The report reveals how disabled people can experience loneliness for a wide range of reasons, including; poor access to services, inaccessible transport and venues, and financial challenges. Social attitudes are also a significant barrier, as many struggle to see beyond the disability.” – Sense

Oxford Head Injury Services can concur that this is often an issue seen in our Service Users who have been affected by brain injury, as well as their carers, and we fully support the Start A Conversation campaign.

Sense have produced this for the Jo Cox Commission on Loneliness.  

“The report is leading the conversation around disability and loneliness during a month-long campaign that will encourage the public and politicians to start a conversation about loneliness and disability.” – Sense

Start a conversation

From 10 July to 11 August, Sense and 21 leading disability charities (including Headway) will highlight the fact that many disabled people experience loneliness.  Use the hashtag #happytochat and #startaconversation, follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and join Sense’s partners:

  • Action for Children
  • Action on Hearing Loss
  • Age UK
  • Alzheimer’s Society
  • Ambitious About Autism
  • Beyond Words
  • British Red Cross
  • Headway: The Brain Injury Association
  • Leonard Cheshire Disability
  • Macmillan Cancer Support
  • Mencap
  • Mind
  • National Aids Trust
  • National Deaf Children’s Society
  • Parkinson’s UK
  • RNIB
  • Scope
  • Sense
  • The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association
  • The Mental Health Foundation
  • The National Autistic Society
  • Young Minds

Support the month-long spotlight on disability and loneliness by visiting the Jo Cox Loneliness website.  Be part of the solution by pledging to start a conversation.

Read the report published by Sense here.

Jo Cox Commission on Loneliness

The Loneliness Commission was set up by the late Jo Cox MP who was deeply moved by the extent of the loneliness crisis in the country.

Through her constituency work she had met elderly widows who had not spoken to another person for weeks, children in schools who felt alone despite having hundreds of online friends and new parents who suddenly find themselves without the social connections of work.

Following the tragic loss of Jo, it was decided that the work of the Loneliness Commission would continue, in her memory. Rachel Reeves MP and Seema Kennedy MP are co-chairing the commission on a cross-party basis.