RURAL POVERTY TODAY : experiences of social exclusion in rural britain

Poverty is perceived as an urban problem, yet many in rural Britain also experience hardship. This book explores how and why people in rural areas experience and negotiate poverty and social exclusion. It examines the role of societal processes, individual circumstances, sources of support (markets; state; voluntary organisations; family and friends) and the role of place. It concludes that the UK’s welfare system is poorly adapted to rural areas, with the COVID-19 pandemic, Brexit and cutbacks exacerbating pressures. Voluntary organisations increasingly fill gaps in support left by the state. Invaluable to those in policy and practice, the book recommends a combination of person-based and place-based approaches to tackle rural poverty. Front Cover Rural Poverty Today: Experiences of Social Exclusion in Rural Britain Copyright information Table of Contents List of figures and tables Glossary About the authors Acknowledgements Foreword 1 Introduction Poverty in Britain: recent trends The changing policy context Methodology Structure of the book 2 Poverty and social exclusion in rural Britain: a review The extent of poverty and financial hardship in rural areas What are the contributory factors for poverty and financial hardship in rural areas? Why are poverty and financial hardship often hidden and under-reported in rural areas? Conceptual framework for this study Conclusion 3 East Perthshire: an accessible rural area in Scotland Income from employment Support from the state Complexity, poor communication and digitalisation Volatility and irregularity of incomes in rural areas Delays, including appeals procedures Claiming entitlements Universal Credit roll-out and legacy transitions Physical and mental illness and disability assessments Treatment of European Union citizens Benefits advice and support Institutional unkindness? Social care in rural Perthshire Support from voluntary and community organisations Motivations and challenges Help and support Support from friends and family Housing, cost of living and access to services Housing Cost of living, access to services and digital exclusion Place Conclusion 4 Harris: an island area of Scotland Income from employment Support from the state Support from voluntary and community organisations Support from friends and family Housing, cost of living and access to services Place Conclusion 5 The North Tyne valley, Northumberland: a remote area of England Income from employment Support from the state Support from voluntary and community organisations Support from friends and family Cost of living and access to services Narratives of place and belonging Conclusion 6 Rural poverty in a pandemic: experiences of COVID-19 Lived experiences in Perthshire, Harris and Northumberland Responses in a crisis Looking forwards Conclusion 7 Changing sources of support: precarity, conditionality and social solidarity Precariatisation and the evolution of rural economies Conditionality and state support Local support and social solidarity Individual coping strategies and agency Intersectionality: are sources of support cumulative or complementary? The role of place and rurality 8 Conclusions and policy implications Main themes emerging and original contributions What policy interventions have previous studies proposed? The potential to combine place-based and person-based policy approaches Immediate policy challenges and opportunities Challenge 1: Many rural residents are at risk of poverty, not a small minority Challenge 2: There is an imminent rural cost of living crisis Challenge 3: The welfare system is not well adapted to rural lives Challenge 4: Much rural work is not ‘good work’: in particular, incomes tend to be volatile and irregular Challenge 5: There are barriers to entering self-employment and developing rural small businesses Challenge 6: It is challenging for organisations to ‘reach’ into rural areas Challenge 7: It remains difficult to access suitable/affordable housing in rural Britain Challenge 8: Framing narratives of place and change are important to the wellbeing of rural communities Challenge 9: There is an imminent crisis in rural social care delivery Closing reflections on power and governance Notes References Index