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Financial toll of rural life

Wednesday, 6 August 2008 12:00 AM

Rural Britain is emerging as one of the most expensive places to live, as the rising cost of living places ever greater financial pressure on countryside residents.

That is the conclusion of research from MoneySupermarket.com, which argues longer commutes to work, remoteness from supermarkets and a reliance on oil heating have all seen Britain's green and pleasant villages face the brunt of recent price increases.

Patterdale in the Lake District, for example, is typical of rural Britain's struggle.

It is 16 miles from its nearest major supermarket, petrol and diesel are around 7p per litre higher than the national average, annual salaries are £19,200 (around £5,000 lower than the national average), and council tax is over £1,460 for a Band D property.

Furthermore, barely any of Patterdale's homes have mains gas so heating oil or bottled gas provide the heat but at around double the cost that it was last year.

Contrast this with Edinburgh where supermarkets and petrol stations abound, public transport is plentiful, the average salary is £8,000 higher, council tax is £300 less and homes are gas heated.

"Over five million households without gas are paying double what they were last year to heat their homes," explained Clare Francis, of MoneySupermarket.

"And this urban-rural divide, sadly, also extends to two of the other essentials of life - food and petrol or diesel.

"Having to travel up to 20 miles to the nearest supermarket typically adds £6 in fuel costs, so villagers are increasingly relying on the corner store.

"Of course, these shops can't buy in bulk like the major supermarkets so they have to charge more and they can't offer the same range of foods either."

Rising mortgage costs and the fall in availability of credit have also had an impact on rural life, although this has also been felt in urban areas.

"Reducing interest rates has done nothing to help homeowners - in fact mortgage rates have been going up despite the cuts. We are looking at rural ruin as prices soar," concluded Ms Francis.

Chris O'Toole

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