Birmingham, Bristol and Manchester are among 15 areas set to receive £82m of Lottery funding to reduce social isolation in 200,000 older people.

Money from the Big Lottery Fund will help local partnerships of voluntary, statutory and private sector organisations to test whether England’s regional services are effectively planned, co-ordinated and delivered.

Of the 10.8m people aged 65 or over in the UK, it is thought some 3.8m live along.

One of the partnerships receiving money as part of the six-year investment is Bristol’s Oscar-winning Aardman Animations, which will produce an animation to help change public perceptions of social isolation. In Sheffield, 1,000 frontline staff will receive training to better recognise loneliness.

The Greater Manchester Centre for Voluntary Organisation is due to receive the largest amount of £10.2m, wit Birmingham’s Voluntary Service Council receiving £6m.

Nat Sloane, Big Lottery Fund England chair, said: ‘There are concerns about a ticking timebomb facing adult social care, but older people have a wealth of experience and skills to offer their communities. We need to tap into this – to help them help themselves and others living alone.

‘Our Ageing Better investment will put them at the heart of the way the projects are designed and delivered to ensure that future generations of older people not only live longer but also live well.’

The areas receiving funding are:

Birmingham
Bristol
Camden
Cheshire West and Chester
East Lindsey
Hackney
Isle of Wight
Leeds
Leicester City
Manchester
Middlesbrough
Norwich
Sheffield
Thanet Torbay