Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, he will list the programmes his Department (a) provides and (b) supports to tackle (i) isolation, (ii) social exclusion and (iii) mental health well-being for rural young people.

In 2025-26, Defra is providing £1.712 million to support local actions that address the needs of rural communities, some of which is used to support actions to tackle rural isolation, social exclusion and the mental health and well-being needs of young people in rural areas.

Since May 2024, Defra has funded the Farmer Welfare Grant, providing £500k to support projects that improve the mental health and wellbeing of farmers in England. One recipient of the grant, the Lincolnshire Rural Support Network (LRSN), is using its funds to deliver support to young farmers. Their support includes Installing an LRSN volunteer link worker into every Young Farmers Club in Lincolnshire; Formal Mental health and wellbeing awareness raising sessions delivered to 16 Young Farmers Clubs, Impact Group, and Riseholme College; and Recruitment and integration of two Emotional Wellbeing Workers into the Young Farmers Clubs and Riseholme Agricultural college.

The Government is committed to increasing access to nature for all, especially young people, and recognises the importance for young people’s health and wellbeing. In 2024, Defra invested £4.45 million in a second phase of the Generation Green programme, enabling over 25,000 disadvantaged children and young people to experience the natural environment.

Defra also leads a cross-Government Children and Nature Working Group to share best practices on improving outcomes for young people through nature. The £16 million Access for All programme has funded inclusive facilities like pedal and play areas for young people.

Green Social Prescribing and wider nature-based activities have been shown to improve mental health in both adults and young people. Natural England works at a national and local level to embed Green Social Prescribing into NHS health services.

Natural England’s Green Infrastructure Framework is a strategic tool which provides local authorities with principles, standards, guidance, and data to improve the lives of people and communities through nature, including access to nature, improving health and wellbeing, and building climate resilience. This includes providing comprehensive geospatial data on the quality of green and blue space, index of multiple deprivation and health, enabling local authorities to target action where its most needed.