CPRE Report – young people in rural areas

Outpriced and overlooked –  Survey on why young people feel forced to leave rural areas

CPRE, the countryside charity, commissioned a survey of over 1,000 young people, between the ages of 16 and 25 years, living in
‘rural’ or ‘town and fringe’ areas to examine the experiences of young people living in rural areas in England. This is their subsequent report.

Young people feel driven away from their local communities as a result of significant everyday challenges, such as poor public transport or lack of affordable housing, that contribute to rural disadvantage.

Already faced with the historic challenges associated with rural disadvantage, the disruption to school and further education,
uncertainty surrounding their future employment and growing issues with mental health following successive national lockdowns, young people in rural areas have few incentives to stay.