Rural Business
Our work on Local Government Finance is split into two areas, the Fairer Funding campaign and a financial analysis of local authority budgets.
24 Jul 2025
Awards celebrate thriving rural communities
Rural community businesses’ extraordinary impact was honoured at Plunkett UK’s annual awards, held at the start of July. Around 100 people gathered at the Royal Society of Chemistry in London...
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21 Jul 2025
New ACS Report Reveals Public Priorities for Local Services
The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has published its Community Barometer 2025, providing fresh insight into which local services voters value most and want to see more of in their...
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14 Jul 2025
Right to Buy Reform Could Save Rural Pubs and Shops
A community’s right to buy a local asset or business was announced in Parliament last week and welcomed by rural community business charity Plunkett UK. As part of the English...
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30 Jun 2025
Plunkett UK Announces Two New Appointments to Strengthen Support for Rural Community Businesses
Plunkett UK has made two key appointments to bolster its work supporting rural community-owned businesses. David Lydiat has joined as Head of External Affairs, a newly created role bringing together...
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24 Jun 2025
New NFU Mutual Report Highlights Growing Impact of Rural Crime
The latest Rural Crime Report from NFU Mutual offers a detailed picture of the financial and emotional toll rural crime continues to take on our communities. Drawing on annual claims...
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02 Jun 2025
Be Inspired By Plunkett UK’s Impact Report 2025
Did you know community businesses have, on average, a five-year survival rate of 99%. This is radically higher than the 39% survival rate of private small and medium enterprises over...
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27 May 2025
Rural Community Project Fund opens for 2025/26
A project call for rural areas of West Norfolk is opening again, inviting expressions of interest for grants to support projects that create new and improved community infrastructure, providing essential...
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06 May 2025
Affordable Homes Key to Unlocking Rural Business Growth
New research commissioned by Community Action Northumberland (CAN) reveals the growing pressure rural employers face due to a shortage of affordable and suitable housing for workers across Northumberland. Nearly one in two...
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22 Apr 2025
The Full Package on Rural Postal Services
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,...
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24 Mar 2025
Plunkett UK Awards to celebrate the best in Rural Community Business
Nominations have now opened for the prestigious 2025 Rural Community Business Awards, sponsored by Lands Improvement. The awards are an opportunity to celebrate the outstanding achievements of community-owned businesses across...
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