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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps are being taken to promote social inclusion for pensioners in rural areas.

The Government is committed to supporting people to have the social connections they need. This is a key part of achieving wider government priorities across health and community cohesion.

The Government funds the Tackling Loneliness Hub, an online forum for people working on loneliness to come together and share insights, research and best practice, with the aim of addressing loneliness and strengthening social connections across our communities.

Defra also funds Action with Communities in Rural England to support local action, which includes actions related to social inclusion activities with older people.