Graham Biggs MBE, FCG, Chairman of Directors for Rural England CIC

This summer, Rural England CIC published its latest State of Rural Services report, providing an up-to-date picture of life in rural England. My role gives me a front-row seat to the realities faced by rural communities, and the findings of this report confirm much of what we already know. They capture what many of you, as coast and country MPs, and as members of non-urban CLPs, will already know from your communications and conversations with your constituents and voters: rural communities are resilient, but too often they are expected to get by with less.

The evidence is clear. Rural residents face longer journeys and fewer options across almost every major service. For example, travel times to a GP in villages, hamlets and isolated dwellings average at least 57 minutes by bus, where there are buses that is. There are 35% fewer rural hospitals today than there were 15 years ago. Access to childcare is thinner on the ground, and where it does exist, fewer rural places are rated “Good” or “Outstanding” by Ofsted compared with urban areas.

Transport and digital access run like threads through the report. With buses now accounting for just over 1% of journeys in hamlets and isolated dwellings, and with 22% of the most remote homes still lacking even a 10 Mbps broadband connection, it is not surprising that people feel cut off and isolated. These gaps are not just about convenience — they affect health, opportunity and social inclusion.

Yet the report also highlights rural strengths. There are 421 community-owned shops trading nationwide, with a 96% survival rate. Local people are stepping up with food banks, warm hubs and volunteer transport schemes. These are inspiring examples of resilience, but they are often compensating for systemic shortfalls in services provided by the state or commercial providers, that are otherwise taken for granted in non-rural locations.

For policymakers, the message is straightforward. Rural disadvantage does not stem from a single failing service, but from multiple gaps that compound into real inequality. Addressing this requires more than piecemeal fixes: it means recognising that where you live should not dictate whether you can see a doctor, find childcare, or catch a bus.

As Labour sets out its programme for national renewal, rural voices must be central. Coast and country communities need to know that they are not being asked to settle for second best – whilst still being expected to pay more. The State of Rural Services 2025 report offers a robust evidence base to help shape decisions so that every community — rural, coastal, and urban — has the fair chance it deserves.

Find out more here.