The RSN works to encourage a thriving rural economy in order to help support our rural communities.
Rural Economy
The RSN works to encourage a thriving rural economy in order to help support our rural communities.
24 Mar 2026
Rural Poverty Report Highlights Hidden Hardship
A new report from the Labour Rural Research Group (LRRG) has highlighted the scale and nature of poverty across rural Britain, challenging assumptions that countryside communities are largely affluent. The...
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24 Mar 2026
Rural Amendment Returns At Report Stage Of Devolution Bill
Following our previous coverage of the Royal Town Planning Institute’s calls to strengthen the recognition of rural communities within the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill , there has been...
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10 Feb 2026
Parliamentary Committee Examines Social Housing Conditions
A new report from the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee has found that progress in improving the condition of social housing in England has largely stalled since the pandemic,...
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22 Sep 2025
Parliament Debates the Crisis in SEND Support
MPs from across the House last week debated the urgent need for reform to the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system, following a petition signed by more than 120,000...
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16 Jun 2025
Government Responds to Committee’s Call for Improved Transport Accessibility
The House of Commons Transport Committee has published the Government’s response to its report Access Denied: Rights versus Reality in Disabled People’s Access to Transport. The report highlights the persistent...
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16 Jun 2025
Rural Housing Emergency
Affordable Housing Need 50% Greater in Rural Areas, Report Reveals England’s rural communities are experiencing an affordable housing crisis of unprecedented scale, with the need for affordable homes is more...
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12 Jun 2025
Spending Review 2025 – RSN Initial Response
The Rural Services Network welcomes the publication of today’s Spending Review as an important marker of this new government’s priorities — and we particularly note the Chancellor’s commitment to ensuring...
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09 Jun 2025
Spotlight on Bank Closures and Rural Communities
Bank closures and their impact on rural communities were firmly in the national spotlight last week, with the issue debated in Parliament and discussed on Sky News. Ahead of the...
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09 Jun 2025
NAO Highlights Weaknesses in Developer Contributions System
A recent report from the National Audit Office (NAO) highlights significant weaknesses in the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government’s (MHCLG) developer contributions system in England — a key...
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09 Jun 2025
New Bill Aims to Strengthen Controls on Second Homes and Short-Term Lets
A new Private Members’ Bill has been introduced to Parliament that seeks to tighten planning rules for short-term holiday lets and second homes. The proposal would require property owners to...
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