Rural Economies
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.
03 Nov 2025
New IMD Acknowledges Challenges Of Measuring Rural Need
The Government has published the English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (IoD 2025) – the seventh update of England’s official measure of multiple deprivation – alongside, for the first time, a...
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03 Nov 2025
MPs Warn Rural Communities Risk Missing Out from Bus Services Act Reforms
Thousands of passengers could benefit from more reliable bus services after the Government’s Bus Services Act became law on 27 October 2025. The legislation gives councils new powers to protect...
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03 Nov 2025
SEND Reforms Need To Address Home To School Transport Pressures
Local authorities are struggling to balance their legal duty to provide transport for eligible pupils and the duty to balance their budget, says the National Audit Office (NAO). The NAO’s...
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03 Nov 2025
Rural Community Businesses Hold The Key To Renewal But Remain Overlooked
New research from Plunkett UK reveals that rural community-owned businesses are already delivering social, economic and environmental benefits that align directly with government ambitions – yet they remain under-recognised and...
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03 Nov 2025
Committee Urges Action To Improve Land Value Capture System
The House of Commons Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee has published a new report, Delivering 1.5 million new homes: Land Value Capture, examining how reforms to developer contributions could...
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03 Nov 2025
RABI Launches New Five-Year Strategy To Reduce The Wellbeing Gap For Farming People
RABI has unveiled its 2025–2030 strategy, setting out a clear direction to close the wellbeing gap experienced by farming communities. The plan focuses on prevention, improving access to support, and...
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03 Nov 2025
The Lion Roars For Community Connection
The Lion at Ickleton, near Saffron Walden, Cambridgeshire, has opened a community café to provide a safe space to help people connect and socialise. The pub, which was reopened in...
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27 Oct 2025
More Than 1 In 4 Brits Live In Homes That Could Make Them Ill
New research commissioned by Health Equals has revealed that 15 million people in the UK live in homes with issues like damp, mould or cold. Those from low-income households, renters...
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27 Oct 2025
CQC Warns Underfunded Community Services Risk Care Quality ‘Erosion’
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has warned that the health and social care system remains fragmented and under severe strain as England prepares for a major shift from hospital to...
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27 Oct 2025
Government To Renew Women’s Health Strategy
The government has announced that the Women’s Health Strategy will be renewed as part of efforts to improve access to healthcare and tackle inequalities faced by women across England. Published...
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