Elderly and Vulnerable People: Loneliness and Isolation — [Mr Virendra Sharma in the Chair]

He supported the debate, noting that loneliness can contribute to early death on par with obesity and smoking. He highlighted the importance of community-led initiatives such as bus schemes in his constituency.

He raised concerns about the Bank of Scotland removing all mobile banks from his constituency, affecting elderly and vulnerable individuals experiencing loneliness. He pledged to repeatedly raise this issue in Parliament. Mr Stone highlighted the closure of mobile bank services in north Scotland and discussed the challenges faced by young carers in remote areas. He emphasised the role of TYKES Young Carers organisation in providing support to these young individuals who take care of their families while facing significant personal challenges, such as a 10-year-old girl looking after her disabled mother and siblings.

Jim Shannon highlighted the issue of loneliness in rural areas, mentioning the importance of community hubs and men's sheds. He discussed the impact of technological changes on elderly populations and advocated for better access to services and support systems.

She thanked her hon. Friend for securing the debate and highlighted the cross-party work done on loneliness, particularly through the Jo Cox Commission which resulted in a Minister for Loneliness and a cross-Government strategy. She urged all MPs to attend the Tackling Loneliness Together festive fair. Ms Leadbeater thanked Mr Stone for his kind words about the Jo Cox Commission on Loneliness and paid tribute to volunteers and organisations that help individuals during festive periods, noting that January and February can be particularly isolating months.

Ms Greenwood highlighted the rise in chronic loneliness, especially among older people and disabled individuals. She noted that factors such as poverty, long-term illness, disability, discrimination, unemployment, inadequate housing, and living in deprived areas increase the likelihood of experiencing loneliness. Ms Greenwood also mentioned that the cost of living crisis has further exacerbated these issues.

He highlighted the importance of connectivity, whether physical such as transport or virtual like broadband and mobile phone signal. He praised new bus vehicles in his constituency provided by volunteer networks that offer a lifeline for people.

Ms Gibson highlighted the difficulty for bus companies in recruiting and retaining drivers, which affects service levels across the UK. She pointed out that services have not returned to pre-pandemic levels and will struggle further with new work visa rules. She highlighted the severe impact of loneliness on elderly people's health, citing statistics from Age UK. She noted that over a quarter of people aged 60 to 74 reported feeling very lonely, with more than a million older people going over a month without speaking to anyone. Gibson also emphasized the importance of community initiatives and social spaces like libraries in combating loneliness.

She focused on the digital divide's impact, especially among marginalised groups, and advocated for embedding loneliness interventions in public health frameworks. She highlighted local community initiatives and stressed the importance of regular checks on isolated individuals through services like Royal Mail.

Mr Farron highlighted the issue of loneliness and isolation in rural communities, especially for elderly people. He mentioned that his constituency has an older population than the national average and is facing challenges such as lack of permanent residents due to second home ownership and reduced NHS care availability. He also raised concerns about the impact on farmers' mental health due to financial stress from transitioning to new farm payment schemes. Mr Farron called for better planning regulations, digital connectivity, and community hub investments to mitigate isolation.