21 Apr 2026
The Rural Coalition met with the Dame Angela Eagle, Minister of State (DEFRA) last week, providing an opportunity to highlight a range of issues currently affecting rural communities.
During the meeting, members raised concerns about the ongoing impact of rising heating oil costs, particularly for households in off-grid areas. The discussion highlighted the significant pressure placed on rural residents by increasing fuel prices, alongside wider concerns about transport costs due to a reliance on private vehicles and limited access to public transport.
It was also highlighted that these pressures leave rural residents at a particular disadvantage, facing a “triple challenge” of typically lower wages in the rural economy, higher costs to heat their homes, and increased transport costs.
Kerry Booth, RSN Chief Executive, raised the issue of rural funding disparities and the impact on local authorities. RSN analysis of the final Local Government Finance Settlement shows that urban councils receive almost a third (32%) more in Government Funded Spending Power per head than rural councils. It also highlights that council tax has to fill the gap, meaning rural residents pay on average 17% more in council tax per head than urban residents.
More concerning is the longer-term trend, where urban councils will see their government funded spending power increase by 20% compared to only a 2% increase for rural councils. This flatlining of rural funding creates a gap that won’t be able to be filled by council tax alone, which will ultimately result in difficult decisions about service delivery for rural communities.
In response, the Minister acknowledged the challenges raised and noted that funding decisions had been made within the context of wider fiscal constraints inherited by the government.
Keep up to date with the work of The Rural Coalition on LinkedIn here. |
