We know that our very high level of inequality divides the UK and weakens the social bonds between us. We were, therefore, pleased to make a submission to the APPG on Social Integration’s Inquiry into Intergenerational Connection. Our conclusions read as follows:

The best guarantee of social connectedness, including that between the generations, is to have a society where as many people as possible are physically and mentally well, trust each other and have sufficient resources to live a full life, all earned within a reasonable number of hours each week.

This way people will typically be less stressed and less rushed and feel more confident about social interaction. They will more likely have time (or make time) to have those crucial conversations and social interactions that build and sustain social capital. These could be conversations with neighbours or shop staff or with any members of the general public in wide and varied settings, as well as with friends, acquaintances and family.

More generally, people will also be able to spend more time participating in our civic life in all its forms; from charities to political parties and from park runs to school fetes. The key to unleashing a new wave of social connectedness – across and between all generations in the UK – is to reduce the material divisions between us so that our collective health and wellbeing improves.

We, therefore, need government to commit to a national mission of economic and social renewal based firmly on reducing the gap between the rich and the rest in the UK. The centre-piece of this should be an integrated, cross-department, Inequality Reduction Strategy including the sort of policies we have advocated in our national Manifesto for a Fairer Society.

The full submission can be read here. Please do share it widely via all your networks. Thank you very much.

The Equality Trust​