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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to help tackle loneliness in rural areas.

This Government is committed to improving the quality of life for people living and working in rural areas, so that we can realise the full potential of rural communities.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport supports the Tackling Loneliness Hub, an online platform which assists professionals who are working to reduce loneliness to connect and share learning, including those in rural areas. In April, the government extended the Know Your Neighbourhood Fund, making up to £4.5 million available to tackle loneliness and increase volunteering. This will help improve social connections in 27 disadvantaged areas in England, 9 of which are rural and small urban areas.

The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs is supporting rural communities to address loneliness through its funding support for the modernisation and improvement of village halls. A further £750k in grant funding has been made available in 2025/26. Village halls host the delivery of a wide range of essential services and wider social and recreational activities, which help to address social isolation.