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The Final Local Government Finance Settlement is now confirmed. Our updated analysis examines the implications for rural areas. Read more.
News
Rural MPs from across the political spectrum used a Westminster Hall debate on 4 February to raise serious concerns about the reliability of postal services and the future of post offices in rural and remote communities. The debate was secured...
The government has published its National Cancer Plan for England, setting out a ten-year ambition to improve cancer survival, increase early diagnosis, modernise services and reduce longstanding inequalities in outcomes across the country. The Plan follows a series of recent...
Public Digital has published a new report exploring how local public services can move beyond crisis management towards more preventative, collaborative and user-centred models of delivery. Drawing on a Public Digital session held in November 2025, the report brings together...
The Rural Services Network (RSN) is recruiting a Rural Evidence Analyst to join our team and support our work as the national champion for rural services. This part-time, fully remote role will play a key part in sourcing, managing and...
The government has launched a £15 billion Warm Homes Plan, described as the biggest public investment in home upgrades in British history, aimed at cutting energy bills, tackling fuel poverty and accelerating the rollout of low-carbon home technologies. According to...
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s UK Poverty 2026 report shows that poverty remains a persistent feature of life for millions of people across the UK, with little overall change in headline rates but a clear shift towards more severe hardship. In...
A new report from the Independent Commission on Neighbourhoods has set out the scale of neighbourhood-level deprivation in England and called for a long-term, coordinated national strategy to support recovery in the most disadvantaged places. No Short Cuts: Towards a...
Last week, we were pleased to host the first RSN Member Exclusive Seminar of 2026, bringing members together online for a wide-ranging and thoughtful discussion on Rural Net Zero. Chaired by RSN Chief Executive Kerry Booth, the session explored what...
Phase 2 of the New Homes Accelerator has launched, widening support to unblock stalled housing developments and accelerate delivery across England. The programme has already helped speed up progress on more than 125,000 homes by tackling planning delays, infrastructure challenges...
English Rural has published a rural perspective on the Government’s recently released National Plan to End Homelessness, welcoming its ambition to make homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring, while warning that rural England risks being overlooked in delivery. The plan sets...
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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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