COVID-19

Hot Topics

11 May 2020

Homebuyers ‘plotting move to country’ amid increased home working

The Guardian and MailOnline cover news that estate agents are reporting a surge in the numbers of would-be homebuyers plotting a move out of the city to rural areas as...

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11 May 2020

‘Unprecedented’ number of countryside visitors during lockdown

The Easter Daily Press reports that there has been an ‘unprecedented’ rise in the number of people using farmland footpaths during lockdown Rural advisors at Savills Norwich say they have...

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11 May 2020

Fears children ‘being left behind’ due to lockdown digital divide

ITV reports on fears that in some rural areas, pupils are missing out on home-schooling during lockdown due to poor internet access The data, which was part of a study...

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11 May 2020

Cities could be treated differently to rural areas when lockdown restrictions are lifted

The Bristol Post reports that earlier this week, England’s chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said one ‘possibility’ of lifting lockdown was to do so at a local level rather...

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11 May 2020

Self Employment Income Support Scheme

The Self Employment Income Support Scheme is due to open for applications on 13 May, with funds reaching people within 6 working days With large numbers of self employed people...

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11 May 2020

COVID-19 – Rural Communities Pulling Together (Week 5)

We asked for examples of our rural communities pulling together and have been inundated with responses so far! We featured 10 each week, and this week are pleased to feature...

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05 May 2020

Health and Social Care Blog

by Kerry Booth – Rural Services Network Assistant Chief Executive Who could have foreseen when I wrote the last Health and Social Care Spotlight (February 2020) the situation we would...

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04 May 2020

RSN champions pandemic related rural issues with Government

The below article written by RSN Chairman Cecilia Motley is featured in this months Local Government First. The response to coronavirus needs to consider the different issues facing rural areas...

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04 May 2020

Rural areas have a higher job loss risk due to Covid-19

Fresh analysis from the RSA, based on the latest furloughing data from the ONS and the jobs profile for each local authority, gives a new, up-to-date, robust and localised insight...

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04 May 2020

Northern MPs call for ‘catch-up premium’ for disadvantaged school pupils

Outlets, including the Surrey Comet, report on an open letter published to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson MP from 55 northern MPs and peers calling for action to prevent disadvantaged children...

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