National Youth Agency · 2021
Young people in rural England are significantly underserved by youth services, with per-head spending dropping from £108 to just £47 since 2011 — less than half urban rates. The report finds that 2.25 million rural young people face a combination of reduced or absent youth provision, poor transport, limited digital connectivity, and hidden poverty that compound their disadvantage. It calls for a Rural Action Plan co-designed with young people, ring-fenced funding, deployment of qualified youth workers, and investment in community assets and digital infrastructure to address these inequalities.