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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to help address loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Government launched a plan to tackle loneliness and social isolation in the context of Covid-19 in April 2020.

This includes the latest #Let’sTalkLoneliness public campaign to get people talking openly about loneliness, including new public guidance offering useful tips and advice on how people can look after themselves and others safely.

The plan also included a £5 million fund to support national loneliness organisations supporting those at risk of loneliness. A new £4 million microgrants fund to support small, grassroots organisations is due to open early in the new year.

Finally, as part of the plan, the Government launched a new ‘Tackling Loneliness Network’, a group of over 60 high-profile charities, businesses and public sector organisations. The network is now working to find and implement innovative solutions to loneliness, drawing on their diverse expertise.