Rural Fair Funding
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 locales is costlier.
10 Nov 2026
An Appointment Is Only Useful If You Can Get There: CMO Report Puts Rural Access In Focus
A hospital appointment can mean a day’s round trip for someone living in rural England. If they cannot drive, or the appointment does not fit the bus timetable, accessing care...
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10 Nov 2026
Rural Poverty Needs Joined-Up Solutions
Tackling rural poverty means looking beyond household income to how transport, housing, energy and public services work together, a new report suggests. Published by the University of Glasgow’s Centre for...
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04 Nov 2026
RSN Welcomes Chief Medical Officer’s Report On Rural Health
The Rural Services Network welcomes the Chief Medical Officer’s Annual Report 2026, which examines health in rural areas and small towns, and was pleased to have the opportunity to contribute....
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03 Nov 2026
Budget Promises Growth In Every Postcode, But Will It Reach Rural Communities?
The Budget offers opportunities for rural homes, businesses and services. The next test is whether funding and delivery reflect the realities of rural life. The Government’s promise of “good growth...
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03 Nov 2026
Rural Health Inequalities Hidden Behind Picture Of Affluence
Poor transport, financial pressures and difficulties accessing services are affecting health and wellbeing in rural Oxfordshire, a new report has found. The research challenges assumptions that rural prosperity benefits everyone,...
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27 Oct 2026
Investment Rules Shake-Up: What Could It Mean For Rural Communities?
The Government has announced changes to how public investment is assessed, allowing linked projects in an area to be considered together. The reforms to the Green Book, the framework used...
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27 Oct 2026
CQC Warns Of Care Pressures And Inequalities
Growing demand, financial pressures and changes in the social care market risk leaving people without the support they need, according to a new report from the Care Quality Commission (CQC)....
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27 Oct 2026
MPs Call For Stronger Safeguards For Rural Maternity Services
Expectant mothers facing journeys of more than two hours to give birth have prompted calls in Parliament for stronger safeguards for rural maternity services. A recent House of Commons debate...
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20 Oct 2026
Rural Voice Must Be Built Into Devolution, Report Warns
Devolution could bring significant benefits to rural England, but fair funding and stronger rural representation must be part of its foundations, a new report warns. Published by the All-Party Parliamentary...
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20 Oct 2026
Report Highlights The Rural Healthcare Penalty
NHS funding and service reforms must better reflect the challenges facing rural and coastal communities, according to a new report from Policy Exchange. For rural residents, getting healthcare can involve...
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