THE needs of the poorest and most vulnerable people living in rural Northumberland are ignored by the UK Government in a way that would not be acceptable in urban areas, academics have said in a new book.

In 'Rural Poverty Today', researchers from Newcastle University, Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) and Inverness Impact-Hub, take a close look at the issues facing the poorest people living in the British countryside, specifically focusing on the North Tyne Valley, East Perthshire and the Isle of Harris.

Mark Shucksmith, Professor of Planning at Newcastle University and one of the book's authors, said: "Nobody should be disadvantaged because of where they live.

"But poor and vulnerable people in rural areas very much are. Life is tough for anyone living in poverty but those who live in the countryside face a very specific set of additional challenges.

"Rural citizens should expect fairness and similar rights of citizenship - that is, fair outcomes including access to services which meet needs, investment in social and economic infrastructure, transparent decisions based on evidence, equal opportunities to participate in society, and a fair hearing and an effective voice in decision making."

Some of the challenges facing people living in the countryside include a lack of public transport, lack of affordable food, seasonal working patterns and unreliable mobile phone coverage and internet access.

"If you’re receiving benefits you will be told to attend an appointment many miles away," said Mr Shucksmith.

"But how are you going to get there if you don’t have a car and there are no buses or trains where you live? If you don’t attend the meeting you won’t get the benefits you rely on. So what do you do? It’s a Catch-22 situation that many people living in rural areas face."

Dr Jane Atterton, of Scotland’s Rural College, said the rising cost of living is also hitting households in rural Britain even harder than those in towns and cities.

"This is because they have to spend a higher proportion of their household income on fuel for transport and on heating their homes which tend to be older, poorly insulated and often not connected to mains energy supplies," she said.

A DWP spokeswoman said: "Our welfare system helps millions of people across both urban and rural areas every year and it is vital that it can be accessed by all who need it.

"We fund support for Universal Credit applications through the Help to Claim service, provided by Citizens Advice, and people can also phone our free Universal Credit helpline for support with their claim.

"Our dedicated Work Coaches also help to ensure all customers have a direct line of contact and can access tailored one-to-one support in person at the jobcentre."