News item | 16-12-2025 | 09:15
A successful Week Against Loneliness, more social initiatives to alleviate loneliness and a guide for professionals in education to prevent and reduce loneliness among children and young people: these are examples of results achieved that State Secretary Pouw-Verweij (Long-term and Social Care, VWS) reports in the latest Progress Report on the action program One against Loneliness. With the expiration of the action program at the end of this year, there will be a follow-up approach from 2026.
Although for the first time in years the percentage of people who feel lonely appears to be decreasing slightly, the urgency to reduce loneliness remains high. About half of Dutch adults feel lonely (46.2%). The consequences of loneliness can be enormous and lead to psychological and physical complaints.
State Secretary Pouw-Verweij: “It is heartbreaking that there are so many people, young and old, who feel lonely. As a society we must look out for each other and try to prevent loneliness as much as possible. I think it is wonderful to see that we have started a broad movement with the action program. With many organizations, companies and social initiatives that each want to do something about loneliness in their own way. Everyone can contribute. No one in our society has to face it alone.”
More social awareness
Greater social awareness is one of the spearheads of the action plan. This year, His Majesty the King was present at the national opening of the Week against Loneliness, where more than 800 participants from social organizations, companies from the National Coalition against Loneliness, government administrators, experts, volunteers and professionals came together. Social awareness is also central to many promotions around the holidays in December, such as Christmas dinners and ticket promotions from, for example, the National Fund for the Elderly.
Social initiatives
Social organizations and companies have an important role in reducing and preventing loneliness. For example, with collaborations within the National Coalition against Loneliness. This year you will see the collaboration between PostNL and Social Work Netherlands in almost every municipality, where postal deliverers can pass on ‘incorrect’ signals that social workers follow up. Companies have also joined forces with social organizations such as the Listening Line and Children’s Postage Stamps.
The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport and the Oranje Fonds have contributed financially to approximately 65 social initiatives that focus on preventing, reducing and alleviating loneliness. This program will be extended until April 1, 2028 and the program budget will be increased to €4,900,000.
Approach from 2026
From 2026, the government will focus on further strengthening awareness and taking action, with an annual public campaign and the annual Week against Loneliness. The broad social movement is also being further deepened, with stable partnerships between municipalities, healthcare and welfare, education, employers, sports and culture, entrepreneurs and residents’ initiatives. Furthermore, ongoing research is focused on so that new scientific insights are incorporated into policy and practice.