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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what progress his Department has made on the commitment in the loneliness strategy to (a) include loneliness in the guidance for the family test and (b) embed consideration of loneliness and relationships throughout the policy-making process.

As announced in last year’s loneliness strategy, ‘A connected society - A strategy for tackling loneliness’, Government’s intention is to embed consideration of loneliness and relationships throughout the policy-making process. Government is exploring various mechanisms for doing this and an update on progress will be provided in the first annual report on tackling loneliness, expected to be published later this year.

The guidance for the Family Test is currently being refreshed and consideration of loneliness is included in the draft text. The updated guidance is due to be published later this year.