Guidance

Guidance for applicants

Updated 10 February 2022

Please note: this fund is now closed for applications.

Feeling lonely is something we can all relate to, but admitting we feel lonely can be much harder. The government’s loneliness communications activity aims to reduce the stigma associated with loneliness, reminding people that feeling lonely is nothing to be ashamed of.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the government’s loneliness communications activity has also been encouraging people to take action to tackle loneliness in themselves and others. Through our loneliness communications activity to date, we have shared practical tips, sources of further support, and case studies to encourage people to reach out and seek support.

Although restrictions on social distancing have eased, we know that this doesn’t mean an end to loneliness. Some people were lonely before the pandemic and will continue to feel lonely. Others may have lost confidence and connections due to the effects of the pandemic, such as the need to shield or socially distance, job losses, bereavement, and the physical health impacts of having the virus or self-isolating for long periods of time. Over the coming months, we must continue to recognise the impact of loneliness and the continuing barriers to social connection posed by COVID-19. The objectives of the government’s loneliness communications work are to:

• reduce the stigma around loneliness, so that people agree that it is OK to feel lonely sometimes, and feel able to speak to someone if they do feel lonely
• increase the number of people who feel they can take action to support themselves if they are feeling lonely
• increase the number of people who feel they can take action to support others if they are feeling lonely

The government’s loneliness communications activity targets a broad audience, recognising that anyone can feel lonely and that we all have the power to help those around us.

However, we recognise the need for a more tailored approach to engaging with those groups most at risk of loneliness, and most affected by loneliness during COVID-19. While government messaging will always aim to reach as many of these groups as possible, it is likely that engagement will be more effective if carried out by trusted organisations that already work with and understand the needs of specific groups.

We would therefore like to provide grants to organisations that already carry out communications and engagement activity with groups at high risk of loneliness, so they can build on existing activity to help reduce stigma and encourage people to take steps to help themselves and others. See below for more detail of what kind of activity this could include.

Purpose and aims of the fund

The expected outcomes of the fund are:

• stigma is reduced and people in groups at high risk of loneliness feel able to take action to support themselves and others
• the evidence base on engaging with groups most at risk of loneliness is further developed. This could include generating insights into perceptions of loneliness amongst specific groups and what works to reach them.

This funding is for organisations that:

• have a track record of reaching one or more groups who are at a higher risk of loneliness through communications and engagement activity
• have a track record of successfully delivering effective communications and engagement activity at a national level

Activity must be targeted at one or more of the following groups:^{[footnote 1]}

• young people aged 16-24
• people with diagnosed mental health conditions
• people living alone
• people from lower income households
• unemployed people
• disabled people

Activity must meet all of these aims to be eligible for this funding. We will accept applications that target sub-groups of the above target groups (for example, older people living alone, or carers from lower income households).

Reporting and learning

Organisations will be required to provide regular reporting on progress and spend, including:

• attend monthly progress meetings with DCMS to report on how the money is being spent, and progress against key project milestones
• provide a short final report summarising what activity was delivered using the grant funding, the outputs and outcomes achieved, who benefitted, and lessons learned

We would be interested in learning how you will assess the effectiveness of your activity.

For example:

• what outputs you expect to deliver as a result of funding, and how these will be monitored
• how you will measure the outcomes and impact of your outputs
• how your proposed activity will contribute to the wider evidence base on loneliness by providing insights on engaging with specific high risk groups

Who can apply

We will fund charities or benevolent and philanthropic organisations who have a track record of delivering effective communications and engagement activity at a national level, and who have a proven reach and track record of engaging with one or more of the target groups listed above.

Applications from consortia are not eligible for this funding.

The value of the grant requested must not represent more than 50% of the applicant’s annual income.

We can only fund activities in England.

What you can apply for

Between £15,000 and £50,000 of grant funds to support the government’s loneliness objectives by delivering effective, tailored communications and engagement activity that reaches groups at a higher risk of loneliness. The fund will give out up to £260,000 of grants in total.

All funded activities must have concluded and all funding must be spent by 31st March 2022.

General social activities and 1:1 or group support to directly reduce loneliness is not in scope.

We cannot fund any costs that will be covered from other funding. Where an recipient has performed an Event of Default,^{[footnote 2]} we reserve the right to clawback this funding.

Eligible spend and ineligible spend

This funding is for organisations to continue, adapt or expand existing activity that reaches groups at a higher risk of loneliness and supports the government’s loneliness objectives.

This funding can be used for:

• developing content and resources to engage specific target audiences
• testing content with target audiences
• disseminating messaging directly through your existing networks and channels
• research into target audiences to support future activity
• training community leaders or ‘ambassadors’ to deliver messages within their networks (for example, developing toolkits, running webinars, training events)
• evaluation of activity delivered using this funding e.g. to determine reach, reception, outcome, impact

We will not fund:

• paid-for advertising
• paid for marketing activity e.g. design, branding, merchandising
• evaluation of previous communications and engagement activities delivered outside of this funding
• events, conferences and exhibitions, including stakeholder, public and internal communication events, but excluding training events
• website and application development
• general social activities and 1:1 or group support to directly reduce loneliness
• advocacy
• appeals
• capital assets (defined as: anything classified as a capital asset within your accounts)
• core costs - other than for those that can be evidenced as directly related to the project outlined in the application
• debts or loans
• fees for professional fundraisers
• individuals
• major capital projects related to premises or buildings, including building purchase and refurbishment
• onward grants
• party political organisations
• projects outside England
• promotion of religious beliefs
• retrospective funding
• schools, colleges or hospitals
• services run by statutory or public authorities

1. List of groups has been chosen based on evidence from the 2021/21 Community Life Survey, Community Life Recontact Survey, ONS mapping of loneliness levels during the pandemic, and the UCL COVID-19 Social Study about the groups most affected by loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic. ↩

2. An Event of Default occurs if you are in material breach of the grant, including but not limited to: failing to comply with Terms and Conditions; failing to make satisfactory progress with the activities; providing incorrect or incomplete information; receiving funding from any other source for the expenditure which is funded by this grant. ↩