Archive Article: 2001/02/09
By FW reporters
THOUSANDS of farming families have been forced to apply for government help because the agricultural crisis has left them struggling to make ends meet.
In answer to a written parliamentary question in the House of Lords, Lord McIntosh of Haringey said that about 17,000 farming families had applied for the working families tax credit (WFTC) at the end of August 2000.
The figures coincide with a warning from the Countryside Agency that the rural idyll is largely a myth and people in rural areas feel undervalued and excluded.
The agency has launched a new report which shows that people feel they are being punished for an economic situation which is not of their making.
The report Challenging the Rural Idyll found that low incomes, poor housing, inadequate services and limited transport are part of everyday life for many living in the countryside.
In a series of case studies children complained about the lack of entertainment which was driving them towards drink, drugs and crime. Parents said they struggled to find employment opportunities and were socially excluded because of the lack of basic services.
Pam Warhurst, deputy chair of the Countryside Agency, described the contents of the report as heartrending.
The report demonstrated the stark realities facing people struggling to bring up their families, often in beautiful surroundings, but cut off from many of the essential services that most people take for granted, she said.
"It is about time we focused our attention on the issues surrounding poverty in rural areas," she concluded.
The report, which was compiled by the National Childrens Home (NCH), gives pointers for policy makers rather than recommendations.
Deryk Mead, NCH chief executive said: "We have given ordinary children and families on low incomes an opportunity to express their views on issues they face in their day-to-day lives in rural England."
Of the 138 people interviewed for the report all said that increased benefits or higher wages would make a significant contribution to their quality of life.
Among their priorities for other improvements were accessible local services, better activities for children, improved employment prospects, cheaper transport and affordable local housing. *