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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to improve access to specialist mental health support for farmers in rural areas.

Defra is supporting farmers’ access to specialist mental health services through funding the Farmer Welfare Grant, which is designed to offer tailored support as well as prevent further cases of poor mental health by helping to build resilience within farming communities.

The Department of Health and Social Care are investing to give mental health the same priority as physical health. This includes hiring 8,500 new mental health support workers to reduce delays and provide faster treatment closer to home, including in rural communities.

One recipient, the Farming Community Network, is using the funding to expand their FarmWell platform. This online resource provides free business and personal resilience advice on topics including mental health, isolation, depression and suicide.