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Government Policy 2025
The Rural Services Network has put together an initial overview of the Government’s 2025 Budget, highlighting the headline measures and the early implications for rural areas across energy, transport, housing, public services, skills and local government funding. At this...
Housing and Planning Minister, Matthew Pennycook has provided an update on the government’s reforms to the local plan-making system in England, confirming key legislative, funding and timetable measures intended to accelerate the delivery of up-to-date local plans across all areas....
A new report from the Local Government Information Unit (LGIU), produced in partnership with Local Partnerships, examines how England’s evolving governance system could operate by 2050. Drawing on a survey of 67 respondents from all existing combined authority...
The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) has published an amendment briefing calling for the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill to explicitly recognise and address the needs of rural communities. While 85% of England’s land area is classified as...
The House of Lords Social Mobility Policy Committee has today published its report Social Mobility: Local Roots, Lasting Change setting out how educational and work opportunities must be better integrated across the UK. The Rural Services...
The Rural Services Network has released three new Rural Lens Reviews , providing our members with in-depth analysis of how key Government policies and reports impact rural communities. Through our Rural Lens series, RSN applies a distinct rural...
The government has launched the full details of its new Social and Affordable Homes programme (2026–2036) described as the biggest boost to social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. Worth £39 billion, the decade-long programme aims to deliver around...
New digital technologies will enable more NHS patients to receive care from home, under a national rollout announced last week. Dozens of areas in England are introducing remote-monitoring tools through the NHS App, allowing patients to share updates such...
The Government has published the English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (IoD 2025) – the seventh update of England’s official measure of multiple deprivation – alongside, for the first time, a dedicated report on deprivation in rural areas. ...
Thousands of passengers could benefit from more reliable bus services after the Government’s Bus Services Act became law on 27 October 2025. The legislation gives councils new powers to protect vital routes, create their own local bus companies...
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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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