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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.
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News
The Rural Services Network (RSN) has submitted its response to the Government’s Fair Funding 2.0 consultation, which closed on 15 August. The RSN is the only national body dedicated to campaigning for fairer funding for rural local authorities. This...
The Transport Committee has warned that bus services in England have suffered a decade of decline, leaving many communities — particularly in smaller towns, coastal areas, and the countryside — increasingly cut off from jobs, education, healthcare, and...
A new evaluation of the Defra-funded Rural Housing Enabler (RHE) Programme has confirmed the critical role RHEs play in helping rural communities address the shortage of affordable homes. Commissioned by Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE)...
Wednesday 17 September 2025 | 13:30 – 15:30 Part of the National Rural Conference 2025 Bookings now open for RSN members: View the full programme Behind every statistic is a story. Data isn’t just...
In a world where connectivity is no longer a luxury but a lifeline, Mova is helping transform the nation’s digital landscape. As a joint venture owned by the UK’s mobile network operators, EE, Virgin Media O2, and VodafoneThree,...
As traditional bank branches disappear from rural high streets it has impacted local businesses and communities. However there are solutions now stepping up to bridge this gap. At the forefront is SMEB , dedicated to providing accessible and efficient payment...
Rural Health & Care Thursday 18 September 2025 | 10:00 – 12:00 Part of the National Rural Conference 2025 Bookings now open for RSN members: View the full programme Access to health and...
New analysis from Age UK has found that 2.4 million older people in the UK — nearly one in five (19%) — have limited use of the internet, going online less than once a month or not at...
The National Energy System Operator (NESO) has published its first Whole Systems Innovation Strategy alongside its Innovation Annual Summary . Developed through extensive engagement with industry, the strategy takes a whole systems view of the challenges facing...
Northumberland County Council has secured over £6 million from the government’s Brownfield Housing Fund to deliver new affordable homes on redundant and underused sites. The funding — totalling £6.075 million — represents more than a quarter of 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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