Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when he plans to issue additional guidance on how individuals and larger organisations can support (a) isolated and (b) lonely people affected by the covid-19 outbreak.

Government recently launched a major effort to tackle loneliness and social isolation. This includes a new public campaign encouraging people to talk openly about loneliness, as well as guidance on how individuals can safely support themselves and others if they are feeling lonely or isolated. This information is available on the ‘Let’s Talk Loneliness’ website.

In addition, Government is making £5 million available for national organisations working on tackling loneliness and applications for this new fund opened on 13 May 2020. Government has also formed a new ‘Tackling Loneliness Network’, which consists of high-profile charities, businesses and public figures who will work together to find innovative solutions which support people at risk of loneliness.