Fair Policy for Rural Workers: Unlocking the Countryside’s Potential
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By Kerry Booth, Chief Executive, Rural Services Network
Across the UK, rural communities are home to millions of people who keep our countryside, environment and heritage alive. Yet the very places that sustain our food, landscapes and nature-based economies are also among the hardest to live and work in.
For those employed in conservation, land management and countryside services, these challenges are far from abstract. Many CJS readers know first-hand the realities of short-term contracts, seasonal work and the constant search for affordable accommodation within reach of a job site. Others will recognise the frustration of poor transport options that make even a short commute unviable without a car.
At the Rural Services Network (RSN), the national champion for rural services in England, we work to ensure that rural communities and the people who serve them are not left behind in national policy. Our analysis shows that urban areas receive 40% more per head in Government funded spending power than rural areas, even though it costs more to deliver services across dispersed communities. At the same time, rural residents pay on average 20% more per head in Council Tax than their urban counterparts. These imbalances shape every part of rural life, from housing and transport to job security and wellbeing.
Rural housing: where the workforce can’t afford to live
Access to affordable, long-term housing has become a defining issue for rural workers. In many national park and coastal areas, a rise in second homes and short-term lets has reduced the stock of homes available to rent. Even where local salaries are modest, competition from tourism and remote-working buyers pushes prices beyond reach.
The impact is circular: conservation organisations struggle to recruit; local businesses can’t fill vacancies; and younger residents move away, hollowing out community life. Rural councils and housing associations are doing what they can but without fair funding and planning flexibility, supply will continue to lag behind need.
Transport: the essential link that too often breaks
Living and working rurally still means being able to drive. Public transport options are limited, especially for early starts, evening shifts or remote sites. Research shows that one-fifth of “lifeline” bus routes in county and rural areas have disappeared over the past five years. For anyone without a car, particularly younger or lower-income workers, that can mean exclusion from opportunities.
Sustainable rural transport needs targeted support: flexible community bus models, shared-vehicle schemes, better integration with rail, and digital tools that help coordinate journeys. This isn’t just an environmental issue, it’s an economic and social one too. If we want people to take up jobs in the countryside, they need a practical way to get there.
The rural economy: a £19 billion opportunity
Despite these challenges, the rural economy remains a powerhouse in waiting. A recent Rural Coalition report describes it as a “sleeping giant” that could generate up to £19 billion more each year in tax revenues if given the right conditions. Unlocking that potential requires investment in infrastructure—digital as well as physical—and a policy framework that reflects rural realities rather than urban assumptions.
Too often, measures of deprivation and success are built around city life. Rural economies can look healthy on paper while masking seasonal work, multiple part-time jobs and higher living costs. RSN is pressing for smarter metrics that capture the true picture, so policy decisions don’t miss hidden hardship or untapped potential.
The RSN works alongside local authorities, housing associations, health and emergency services, utilities, charities, community groups, research bodies and private-sector partners to turn these insights into action. As Secretariat to the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Rural Services, we provide evidence and recommendations that help shape national policy on rural issues such as housing, health, transport, digital connectivity, rural planning and the wider rural economy.
Delivering for All: giving evidence to drive change
To build that evidence base, RSN has launched Delivering for All, a nationwide survey and research programme capturing rural people’s real experiences of housing, health, transport, digital access and affordability. Rather than relying on headline statistics, it asks residents what life actually feels like, and what stands in their way.
The results will help us demonstrate to the government where rural policy and funding are failing to keep pace, and how they can be re-designed to unlock prosperity across every type of community. It’s not a survey for its own sake; it’s the foundation for change. It will provide evidence that strengthens the case for fairer funding, better infrastructure, and a rural economy that works for the people within it.
Why this matters to the countryside workforce
For conservation professionals, rangers, ecologists and land managers, these issues are personal as well as professional. You see every day how public investment, local housing policy or transport decisions ripple through the landscapes you protect. A thriving rural economy sustains not only communities but also the environmental goals we share.
When rural policy works, it supports circular economies, where local food, timber, tourism and green jobs reinforce each other. When it fails, the consequences are visible in empty cottages, lost bus routes and declining services. Fair funding isn’t just a numbers exercise; it’s about keeping the countryside a place where people can live, work, belong and thrive.
Looking ahead
Rural England is not asking for special treatment, only fair treatment. Our Delivering for All roadmap sets out practical steps for government to ensure no community is left behind:
- Fairer funding that recognises the higher cost of rural delivery
- Smarter metrics that reveal hidden deprivation and opportunity
- Investment in housing, transport and digital connectivity to unlock the £19 billion potential of rural economies
Everyone deserves the chance to thrive, no matter where they live. With the right support, rural communities can drive national renewal, creating jobs, restoring nature and powering the transition to net zero.
Because when rural works, the whole country prospers.
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