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Newly released figures from DEFRA ’s Rural Economic Bulletin reveal a stark warning: productivity in England’s most sparsely populated rural areas has fallen to just 84% of the national average , down from 92% in 2001 ....
The Rt Rev’d Dr Helen-Ann Hartley, Bishop of Newcastle, has been appointed President of the Rural Coalition, an alliance of twelve national organisations who work together to promote a shared vision of a living, working countryside in England. The new...
A powerful new report from Crisis , supported by Health Equals , is shining a spotlight on how unaffordable private rents are driving people into poor health and homelessness. Titled “ Now I have my...
Citizens Advice has published a new report, The Full Package: What Consumers Need from a Changing Postal Service , providing detailed insight into how people across England and Wales use letters, parcels, and post offices — and what...
On Thursday 1 May 2025, voters in parts of England will head to the polls to elect metro mayors for several combined authority areas. These roles come with strategic powers over transport, housing, skills, and economic growth — issues that...
DEFRA has announced a boost to food security, with more than £45 million in new grants to drive and develop innovative technologies on farms. From 28 April , applications will open for the brand-new Accelerating Development of Practices...
Wednesday 23 April 2025 Oral Questions , The use of resources allocated to the devolved authorities, Lord Foulkes of Cumnock Thursday 24 April 2025 Oral Questions , Meeting the target of building...
As the national voice championing rural services, the Rural Services Network (RSN) is proud to reflect on a year of meaningful progress, advocacy, and collaboration. In 2024/25, we continued to deliver on our mission to ensure that rural communities are...
At Current Rates, Clearing Rural Social Housing Waiting Lists Would Take 89 Years. A pioneering partnership between housing and homelessness organisations has launched a report to make the case to scale up Housing First approaches in...
The government has announced a package of reforms intended to address longstanding issues within the local audit system in England, which it describes as “broken” and “fragmented.” The reforms, outlined on 9 April 2025 by the ...
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HOT TOPICS
Amid reduced public spending, fair resource allocation across regions is crucial. Despite a population larger than Greater London, rural areas receive significantly less funding for essential services, even though delivering these services in rural areas is more expensive.
Economic growth is widely acknowledged as essential for national wealth and prosperity and is a priority for political parties. Rural economies, employing millions and home to a higher proportion of small businesses, have potential for growth if barriers are removed.
Rural residents face distinct healthcare challenges, including limited access to transport, longer distances to medical facilities, an aging demographic, housing inadequacies, digital connectivity gaps, and difficulties recruiting health and care workers.
Rural communities are grappling with a severe affordable housing crisis, marked by high house prices, a lack of affordable housing, elevated living costs, and lower incomes, threatening their sustainability and vitality.
Transport is vital for the quality of life and economic health of rural areas, yet it faces challenges such as infrequent public bus services and less Government funding compared to urban regions.
Rural areas, encompassing a substantial portion of England's population and land, play a pivotal role in combating climate change and achieving the net zero target.
In an increasingly digital world, the lack of robust digital infrastructure in rural areas severely limits access to crucial services and stifles economic growth.
A future-focused vision for rural communities involves not just building the right homes in the right places but also ensuring thriving, sustainable communities.
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