The Government (Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, Office for Civil Society and Baroness Barran MBE) has launched a £5m fund today to tackle loneliness resulting from the coronavirus outbreak and period of social distancing. National organisations working to tackle loneliness and build social connections are invited to apply for a share of the £5m funding to continue and adapt their critical work. Grants of between £500,000 and £1m will be awarded to successful applicants whose services:
- can reach people in ‘cold spots’ where informal neighbourly support and small local charities are not able to fully meet needs around social connection;
- serve the needs of groups particularly at risk of loneliness, including those noted in ONS analysis and Community Life Survey and Active Lives Survey data;
- continue, adapt or expand existing provision where there is a track record of successful delivery; AND
- cannot be provided without this additional funding.
Services must meet all of these aims to be eligible for this funding. The application form and further guidance is available here. The deadline for applications is 12pm on Friday, 29 May 2020 and completed applications should be returned by email to the Loneliness Fund team at loneliness@culture.gov.uk.
