Loneliness: Rural Areas

This Government is committed to supporting people at risk of loneliness, including older people in Lincolnshire, to have the social connections they need to thrive. Our ambition to strengthen positive social connections is a key part of achieving wider government objectives. My department has been working hard to ensure improving social connection and tackling loneliness is a golden thread which runs throughout government policy.

I was delighted to mark Loneliness Awareness Week last week and honour the legacy of our former colleague Jo Cox MP, attending the Loneliness Awareness Week launch in Parliament alongside the Great Parliamentary Great Together and Run for Jo in Birstall.

We know the challenges facing older people when it comes to social connection. Libraries, museums and heritage sites are vital community anchors, and we are investing £1.5 billion to save them, which could include supporting community groups to reduce social isolation and loneliness, social prescribing, community mental health provision and ageing well services.

This government funds the Tackling Loneliness Hub, an online community which enables people to connect across sectors to share insights and collaborate. The Hub frequently spotlights issues specific to different demographics, including rural loneliness. The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs is also supporting rural communities to address loneliness through its funding support for the modernisation and improvement of village halls which sit at the heart of rural life. Government has provided Action with Rural Communities in England (ACRE) with a grant of £1.7 million this financial year, which, amongst other important priorities, supports ACRE’s delivery of a practical advice and support service for communities to keep these spaces thriving.