Report reveals poverty on rise in rural Bedfordshire

The number of households living in poverty in rural areas, such as Bedfordshire, is on the rise according to a report, published by the Commission for Rural Communities (CRC).

The State of the Countryside 2008 report, the tenth in the series by the CRC, also says that there is a growing inequality between remote rural areas and other parts of the countryside, because while the quality of life may often be better with many advantages to living and working in rural areas, this is not the case everywhere and for everyone.

Dr Stuart Burgess, chairman of the CRC, said: "This year we have been able to use the official 'Households Below Average Income' data for rural areas to show this increase.

"Around one in five rural households now live below the poverty line and between 2004/05 and 2006/07 poverty in rural households has increased faster than in urban areas."

Similarly, the report found that wages in rural areas continue to be low and for many working is not a secure route out of poverty.

Dr Burgess said: "The series of State of the Countryside reports provides a unique opportunity to reflect on the changes taking place in rural England, look forward to what the future might hold for rural communities, and to reflect on what aspects have remained important since the report was first published in 1999."

In Bedfordshire the proportion of rural households situated less than 2km from a post office was 85.1 per cent per cent, while in urban areas with a population of more than 10,000 the figure was 98.8 per cent.

In Bedfordshire, 85 per cent of households in rural areas are less than 4km from a supermarket, the figure for urban areas being 98.7 per cent.

- The figures for access to banks/building societies within a similar range are 58.4 per cent/98.3 per cent

- dentists: 73.1 per cent/98.8 per cent

- GP surgeries 81.9 per cent/100 per cent

A dominant challenge in rural areas is meeting the need for affordable housing where the average rural house price in 2007 was £257,600, compared with £212,823 in urban areas.

In Bedfordshire, the average house price in a hamlet and isolated dwelling was £336,414 (9.6 times annual household income), while in town and fringe locations it was £240,953 (6.8). The respective figure for urban locations was £191,255 (6.0), with village properties £309,817 (8.7).

In the field of communications technology rural areas are also lagging behind their urban counterparts. While internet usage in the countryside has risen from 44 per cent in 2002 to 62 per cent in 2007, particularly for accessing services, the availability of high-speed broadband remains low in sparsely populated areas. In Bedfordshire, 46 per cent of rural households have broadband, the figure being 48 per cent in urban areas.

The series of reports has also highlighted changing working patterns, particularly a continuing decline in the number of people working in agriculture.

However the report also found that people living in rural areas generally have healthier lifestyles and a better quality of life with lower incidence of crime.

Also children in rural areas tend to perform better at school.

Those moving into rural England also tend to be families with people aged from about 44 to 64 with young children, whilst those moving out are people aged 15 to 29.

Dr Burgess said: "The State of the Countryside reports have continued to pinpoint some critical issues for the Government and whilst rural England has some major strengths and much to celebrate, significant ongoing challenges remain."