A new report – A Divided Kingdom – launched recently by Intergenerational England claims the UK is more age segregated than ever before, with less contact between generations leading to loneliness, poor mental health, increasing social fragmentation and mistrust.
It calls for NHS leaders, educators, housing providers and community organisations to review its findings and its blueprint for change.
Less than one in ten children in the UK have a chance of living near someone who is over 65, meaning there is scant opportunity for connection, shared wisdom or mutual support.
Yet, ironically, a recent YouGov survey commissioned by Intergenerational England revealed that one in eight thought stronger connections between generations could significantly reduce loneliness and improve mental health outcomes.
Bobby Duffy, Professor of Public Policy and Director of The Policy Institute, King’s College London, said:
“The UK is more age segregated than ever before, in where we live and what we do online – and I would say this separation is the key generational challenge we’re facing right now. We know that the less contact different groups have, the more they stereotype and suspect the motives of the other side, and this is at the root of a lot of apparent misunderstandings between generations. And much more than this, it means we miss out on the well-documented benefits of intergenerational connection, where we know both older and younger benefit equally. Now is the time for us to come together and address this, for the good of society, our health, our education, our work and our culture.”
Charlotte Miller, Co-Founder of Intergenerational England, said:
“Intergenerational solidarity isn’t a ‘nice-to-have’ but a necessity for building systems that are future-proof. For a more connected, compassionate, and sustainable society, we must embed intergenerational solutions into the foundations of our nation. There are great pockets of intergenerational connection happening across the UK, but not at scale or in a strategic way. We need to embed it culturally, socially, and politically.”
The report follows independent research and in-depth consultation with key stakeholders from government and the health, housing, social care sectors. Crucially, the report outlines a series of ambitious but achievable set of five recommendations to deliver positive change.
- The launch of a cross-government taskforce and an International Solidarity Bill in parliament, embedding age inclusion and shared values across housing, health, transport, education, and care.
- The introduction of a National Intergenerational Fund to scale up local brilliance, invest in frontline innovation, and back the community champions already making a difference. It urges the government to grow the evidence too via a national research fellowship.
- Make intergenerational health standard practice, moving it from the margins to the mainstream, embedding it in NHS training, commissioning, and preventative models.
- Embed intergenerational thinking into all aspects of housing development, from social relationships and community engagement to system structures, policy frameworks and urban design.
- Start a national conversation, making it local, loud and intergenerational with local councils, libraries, theatres, community centres embedding intergenerational solidarity across everyday public life.
Dr Claire Fuller, NHS England’s National Primary Care Director, backs the report, revealing:
“We know that if the NHS carries on working on its own, we can only impact people’s health outcomes by 20%. The rest is governed by other socio-economic factors, such as someone’s mental health, whether they are feeling isolated, and other factors relating to their environment. That’s where intergenerational work is so powerful.”
The Divided Kingdom report focuses on six key areas for attention, providing evidence, insight and case studies of intergenerational excellence across each:
Workplace – There are now five generations working side by side. Young and older workers have experienced age-based discrimination, but only 6% of employers have strategies to support multi-generational teams. The good news is that globally, there is a growing movement from multigenerational representation toward intergenerational integration, where connection, mutual respect, and dialogue across age groups are intentionally cultivated. Generational diversity needs to be recognised as a strategic advantage, driving innovation, collaboration, and organisational resilience.
Education and Youth – Young people in the UK are facing a wellbeing crisis. According to The Children’s Society’s Good Childhood Report (2022), children in the UK are the least happy in Europe. It says 45% of 10–15 year-olds report feeling lonely some or all of the time, with many struggling to find meaningful connections either at home or in school. Children today often grow up without relationships with older adults beyond immediate family. This lack of intergenerational contact limits empathy and reduces opportunities for mutual learning.
Fewer than 20% of UK schools have active intergenerational partnerships, despite extensive evidence showing that connecting young people with older generations boosts confidence, resilience, and even academic attainment (Generations Working Together, 2023).
Housing – Current housing models reinforce separation between generations. Nearly half of the people over 75 live alone, which significantly increases the risks of loneliness and social isolation. At the same time, younger generations face skyrocketing housing costs, limited access to affordable rental properties, and increasing childcare costs.
There is an urgent need to rethink housing in ways that encourage intergenerational interaction, support networks, and shared resources. Currently, most housing support services, planning frameworks, and even funding streams are often siloed by age. However, intergenerational approaches in housing – from co-living and home share to mixed-age neighbourhood design – show that when done intentionally, they can lead to healthier communities with shared financial responsibilities and enhanced familial support systems.
Social Care – Amid the UK’s social care crisis, one key dimension continues to be overlooked: the breakdown of intergenerational connection. Despite strong evidence that cross-generational relationships improve well-being, only 7% of care home residents report regular interaction with people under 30 (Care England, 2023). At the same time, 29% of adults aged 65 and over provide informal care, often unrecognised, to younger family members or friends. This includes grandparents caring for disabled children, older siblings stepping in for parents, and elderly carers supporting adult children with long-term conditions. These informal carers represent a critical intersection of care needs and generational disconnection.
Health and Wellbeing – The UK is facing a public health challenge that cannot be solved through medical treatment alone. Rates of loneliness, chronic illness, and health inequality are rising and are especially acute at both ends of the age spectrum. In England, 45% of adults report feeling occasionally or often lonely, with the 16–24 age group the most affected (ONS, 2023). Among older adults, chronic loneliness is linked to a 26% increased risk of premature death, comparable to the health risks of smoking 15 cigarettes a day. There is huge potential for intergenerational health frameworks and connections to strengthen health, reduce demand on services, and improve quality of life.
Culture and Community – Across our lives, we naturally engage with people who are like us – but that can create social distance between people who are not, giving a sense of ‘them and us’ across different ages or backgrounds.
Cultural venues and local programmes often cater to single-age audiences such as youth centres and older adult lunch clubs, rarely offering shared activities that allow for real connection. Meanwhile, underused community spaces – libraries, parks, faith halls – remain a missed opportunity to host intergenerational activities.
Language also plays a powerful role in shaping how we see age – ageism is reinforced in everyday words like boomer and snowflake, reducing individuals to caricatures and overtime this external narrative becomes internalised. People start to believe they are ‘too old to learn’ or ‘too young to lead’. Challenging ageism requires conscious attention to the ways we describe, value, and relate to people at every age.
