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The Final Local Government Finance Settlement is now confirmed. Our updated analysis examines the implications for rural areas. Read more.
People living and working across the UK’s upland and grazing landscapes are being invited to share their views as part of a major European research project exploring how land is used and how different interests can better work together. Led...
Last week we held another highly engaging RSN member-exclusive seminar, this time focused on rural communities. The session brought together a strong mix of national insight and local experience, with a clear emphasis on how community-led approaches can help address...
Peers have continued detailed discussions on the Government’s English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, with recent debates focusing on how new powers will work in practice, and who will hold them to account. A clear theme running through the debates...
Council tax for the average Band D property across England and Wales will rise by 4.9% in 2026/27, reveals analysis undertaken by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) and Infoshare+. Council tax for the average Band D...
A new report from The Connection Project, Misconnected: How the UK can choose a better digital future, warns that the UK’s shift to digital services is not working equally for everyone – with important implications for rural communities. While the...
The government has announced £70 million in funding to increase capacity in building safety professions, aiming to address workforce shortages and support the delivery of new housing. The funding, published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, will...
More than one million people across the UK have been supported to get online through the government’s Digital Inclusion Action Plan, according to a first-year progress update published by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). The report states...
Following our recent coverage of rising heating oil costs, the Rural Services Network has continued to hear directly from members about the real-world impact on rural households and communities. As highlighted previously, volatility in global energy markets and a lack...
With the UK’s 40-year-old analogue landline network set to close at the end of January 2027, BT has revealed that the majority of its landline customers, over three million households, are already benefiting from safer, more reliable digital landlines. New...
A new report from the Labour Rural Research Group (LRRG) has highlighted the scale and nature of poverty across rural Britain, challenging assumptions that countryside communities are largely affluent. The report, Rural Poverty in Britain, draws on evidence from a...
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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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