The Independent Commission onCommunity & Cohesion
A once in a generation commission on the future of our communities
The UK is a thriving, multi-ethnic and multi-faith democracy where most people in towns, cities, and rural areas get on with each other. But we are also experiencing challenges to our community and local lives, with fresh expressions of old tensions – and new ones – emerging.
In some cases, this includes a decline in trust between neighbours, declining community connections, a growing sense of isolation and loneliness, or a feeling of not belonging either to the UK as a whole – or to England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
In other cases, it includes social exclusion, prejudice, hate crimes, extremism, and the emergence of so-called culture wars – sometimes revealing a society in which a shared understanding of the nation is lacking.
Much of the modern story of our country traces back to the post-war years – a moment of profound social change, including the creation of the NHS, the modern welfare state, and Commonwealth immigration.
Now, 80 years on, we find ourselves at a crossroads. We’re faced with generational questions – including how we live well together, and of our vision for the kind of country and the kind of communities we are trying to build. The riots across the country last summer have increased the urgency of answering these questions.
The Independent Commission on Community and Cohesion is a non-partisan, time-limited commission tasked with answering these questions – as we seek to collectively build a more united country where local lives and places are built on people working together; sharing common stories, and building nations, cities, counties and towns where everyone feels able to belong and participate.
The commission will not produce a report from behind closed doors. Instead, we will engage communities across the country in order to understand how to enhance community connectedness, cohesion and resilience, as well as seeking to uncover the shared stories and vision for our communities that can stand the test of time.
The Commission formally began in June 2025. Over the next 18 months, we will engage communities across the country to understand how to enhance community connectedness, cohesion and resilience – and to uncover the shared stories and vision that can help shape a more united future.
Our commissioners
The Commission has gained rare cross-party support, and is co-chaired by Sir Sajid Javid and Jon Cruddas. It brings together 20 commissioners from across the UK, spanning politics, academia, faith, civil society, business, youth leadership, and the media. In June 2025 the Commissioners convened for the first meeting to discuss the Commission’s themes, and their meetings will continue monthly over the next 12 months.
The commission has been convened by the Together Coalition, who will act as its secretariat.
Sir Sajid Javid
Jon Cruddas
Lord Bilimoria CBE DL
Crossbench peer, entrepreneur and former President of the CBI; founder of Cobra Beer and former Chancellor of the University of Birmingham
Professor Luke Bretherton
Regius Professor of Moral and Pastoral Theology, University of Oxford, and Director of the McDonald Centre for Theology, Ethics and Public Life
Samuel Coates
Former government advisor, policy strategist, and Project Director of the ‘Pillars of the Community’ Report
David Halpern CBE
President Emeritus of the Behavioural Insights Team
Professor Jagbir Jhutti-Johal OBE
Professor of Sikh Studies at the University of Birmingham; expert on faith, interfaith dialogue, and public policy
Sunder Katwala
Director, British Future
Professor Javed Khan OBE
Managing Director of the think tank Equi; former CEO of Barnardo’s and Victim Support; independent adviser to government and non-executive board member
Dame Sara Khan
Former Counter-extremism Commissioner; former independent Government Adviser on social cohesion and resilience
Caroline Lucas
Former Leader and Co-Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales; author, campaigner and Co-President of the European Movement
Laura Marks CBE
Chair of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust; founder of Mitzvah Day and Nisa-Nashim, and co-founder of the Women’s Faith Forum
Ruth Marks CBE
Former CEO of Wales Council for Voluntary Action and first Older People’s Commissioner for Wales
Christina McAnea
General Secretary of Unison
Lord Mendelsohn
Labour peer and business leader
Tim Montgomerie
Political commentator and founder of ConservativeHome
Dr Chaand Nagpaul CBE
Former Chair of the British Medical Association
Fraser Nelson
Columnist for The Times and former Editor of The Spectator
Ndidi Okezie OBE
CEO Business in the Community; NED Southbank Centre; former Education Executive and Youth Sector CEO
Eva Omaghomi CVO PhD
Founder of Forster Jones & Associates, Community Engagement Advisor to The Royal Household
Professor Jane Robinson DL
Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Engagement and Place, Newcastle University; Chair of CBI North East Council
Sir Andy Street CBE
Former Mayor of the West Midlands and former Managing Director of John Lewis; Chair of Birmingham Repertory Theatre
Our approach
The Independent Commission on Community and Cohesion brings together leading voices from across the UK to explore what’s driving disconnection and division – and what needs to change to help build stronger, more connected communities.
Its work combines two core strands: a UK-wide national conversation to hear directly from the public, and a programme of commissioner meetings to explore key challenges and shape practical responses.
Building our foundations
(early 2025 – July 2025)
In the first phase of our work, independent think tank British Future and the Belong Network undertook a major research project to understand the current state of community connection and cohesion across the UK. Drawing on polling, focus groups, expert roundtables and more than 100 written submissions, their findings were published in July 2025 as The State of Us: Community Strength and Cohesion in the UK.
The report provides a powerful starting point for the Commission – highlighting the pressures facing communities today, from political polarisation and economic insecurity to a lack of everyday contact between people from different backgrounds. It also surfaces areas of resilience and examples of what’s working well. As a foundational input into the Commission’s work, the report helps to identify the priority issues we’ll explore in more depth, and shapes the focus of both our public engagement and commissioner deliberation.
National Conversation, Academic Research and Commissioner Engagement
(June 2025 – Autumn 2026)
During this time we bring together two interdependent strands of work:
- A UK-wide National Conversation launched on 18 May 2026 – a UK-wide listening initiative, inviting people right across the country to share what they value about community life and the kind of communities they want to build together. More information: www.thenationalconversation.org.uk
- A structured programme of commissioner meetings which launched in June 2025, drawing on insights from the ‘Building Our Foundations’ report and the national conversation (once launched), to explore key themes in greater depth and shape practical recommendations.
Our aim is to develop a shared vision and practical roadmap for strengthening cohesion – grounded in public insight, and shaped by a diverse group of commissioners from across politics, civil society, business, faith, academia, media and more.
Implementation and impact
(Autumn 2026 onwards)
Implementation, advocacy, and long-term impact — translating the Commission’s vision into local and national agendas for change.
Download the new foundational evidence report
The State of Us: Community Strength and Cohesion in the UK is the foundational evidence base for the Independent Commission on Community and Cohesion. The report, published in July 2025, offers a timely snapshot of how people across the UK are experiencing connection, division, and community life. Based on polling, focus groups, expert input and public submissions, it brings together data and lived experience to inform the next phase of the Commission: a national conversation on how we live well together.
Developed by British Future and the Belong Network, the report is a major input into the commission’s work, and essential reading for anyone interested in building a more cohesive and connected UK.
Take part in the National Conversation
We have now launched a UK-wide National Conversation – inviting people from every part of the country a key question: how do we want to live well together?
The aim is to hear from thousands of people, in every region, of every age, background and outlook. Their answers will be the public’s contribution to the Independent Commission on Community and Cohesion – and the foundation on which its recommendations are built.
There will be lots of ways to take part – including sharing your views online, hosting or joining local conversations, or helping us reach others in your community. If your organisation reaches people, you can help shape what we hear. Bring your members in. Encourage your audiences to take part. Whether you’re part of a school, youth group, library, faith space, local authority or grassroots charity, we’d love to work with you.
More information on the National Conversation website.
If you’re interested in being part of the National Conversation – or helping others take part – complete the form below.