The National Rural Conference 2025

Bookings are now officially open for the National Rural Conference 2025, which will take place online from Monday 15 to Thursday 18 September.
This is the Rural Services Network’s flagship event of the year, bringing together rural decision-makers, practitioners, and advocates for four days of live, interactive sessions focused on the future of rural communities.
Click here to book!

Rural England launches report looking into fuel poverty in rural areas

Southern Water and Farming UK announced that the Countryside and Community Research Institute and Rural England CIC presented a report, sponsored by five utility companies: Cadent, GEUK, Southern Water, Wales & West Utilities, and Western Power Distribution, along with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; to explore the rural dimension to vulnerability, as experienced by customers

The overall aim of this study was to understand better the lived experience of a range of customers in vulnerable situations who live in rural areas of England, to assess the importance of rurality as a factor compounding vulnerability, and to consider in the light of these factors, whether more or better-designed PSR (Priority Service Register) support could be provided.

Southern Water believes that only a small proportion of eligible customers in its region are currently registered on their PSR and urges their customers who are reading this report to enquire for further details.

Full articles:

Southern Water - Rural England launches report looking into fuel poverty in rural areas

Farming UK - Rural areas set to be hit hardest by expected energy bill rise