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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle loneliness in the East Midlands.

Government’s strategy on tackling loneliness in England was launched last October and included a range of new policies that will benefit people across England, including the East Midlands. This includes improving and expanding social prescribing and a new campaign on social wellbeing.

Successful applicants to the £11.5m Building Connections Fund were announced in December with seven in the East Midlands area, providing up to £1.5m funding to connect individuals and communities better. These included The (Re:)Generation Factory, delivering befriending services to older residents in Bilborough, Greater Nottingham; and Campus Community Hub, which brings young and older people from the local community together at a YMCA café and allotment site in Derbyshire. In addition £1m new funding has been devoted across England to help communities make better use of their spaces to tackle youth loneliness.; East Midlands projects include City Arts in Nottingham, Right Resolution in Northampton, and Reach Learning Disability.