This episode explores the rural housing crisis in the UK, addressing misconceptions, funding challenges, and potential solutions. Guests Mark Pragnell (Chair, English Rural Housing Association & The Rural Coalition) and Terry Jordan (Clerk to Wisbech Town Council) share insights on homelessness, local government restructuring, and how communities can support vulnerable populations.

Listen to the podcast here

 

Rural areas are often described as peaceful, affluent, and “chocolate box” perfect. But as this conversation on the Rural Homelessness Podcast makes clear, that image can hide a much harder reality: rising housing pressure, invisible homelessness, and communities struggling to keep essential services alive.

In this post, we’ll unpack what the rural housing crisis looks like in the UK, why rural homelessness is so easy to miss, and what councils, housing providers, charities, and local residents can do about it. If you’ve ever wondered why a place that looks prosperous on the outside can still have deep housing need, this is for you.

Why the rural housing crisis is harder to see

The biggest challenge with rural homelessness is that it doesn’t always look like homelessness.

In cities, people often picture rough sleeping on doorways, shopfronts, and busy streets. In rural areas, the reality is more hidden. People may be sofa surfing, sleeping in sheds, garages, stables, horse boxes, or even under hedges and in woods. That makes the problem harder to measure - and harder to fund.

Mark Pragnell made an important point early in the discussion: rural places are often misunderstood by people who only see them from a distance. The “idyllic countryside” narrative can obscure the fact that many people in rural communities are working ordinary jobs, living ordinary lives, and doing so in places that have been left behind by infrastructure and investment.

That matters because funding and services usually follow visibility. If homelessness is hidden, it is easier for decision-makers to underestimate it.
 

Why rural housing policy often misses the mark

A major theme in the conversation was power - who has it, where it sits, and whether rural communities get enough of it.

Terry Jordan explained how local government restructuring and devolution can create both opportunities and risks. On the one hand, larger councils and mayoral authorities may bring more strategic investment. On the other, rural communities can feel further away from decision-making, with fewer representatives speaking for them and less influence in the room.That is a serious issue. When councils are reorganized into larger units, rural voices can be outnumbered by urban ones. Policies can also be merged in ways that fit big places better than small ones. What works in a city district may not work in a village or small market town.

Mark drew a useful distinction between two different changes happening at once:

• Devolution, where central government pushes responsibility down to strategic authorities and mayors
• Local government reorganisation, where smaller councils are merged into larger unitary authorities

Those are not the same thing, but both can reshape how housing, planning, and homelessness support is delivered.

There was some optimism in the discussion too. Terry noted that Cambridgeshire and Peterborough have already seen some benefits from mayoral investment, including local projects and new stations. So the question is not whether devolution is always bad - it is whether rural areas are properly built into it from the start.

Mark suggested that rural communities need more than just funding. They need voice. That means parish councils, town councils, and local organisations must become stronger advocates for their areas, because they may be the closest elected bodies left that actually understand the geography and the people.

The social housing shortage is driving rural homelessness

If there is one thread running through the whole conversation, it is this: there are not enough homes.

Terry was clear that there is not enough social housing, and not enough house building generally in places like Wisbech. Mark went further, arguing that the UK does not have enough homes overall, and rural areas have an even more severe shortage.

That shortage has real consequences. If local workers cannot live in the communities they serve, then villages lose teachers, carers, care workers, and other essential staff. Over time, that pushes communities into decline.

This is where the housing crisis and the homelessness crisis connect. Homelessness is not just a personal problem - it is also a symptom of a system that is not producing enough affordable homes.

Mark described the work of English Rural, which focuses on building small numbers of homes in village settings, often on rural exception sites. These are homes built for local people with a genuine connection to the village. The model is deliberately small-scale: four to fifteen dwellings at a time, rather than huge estates.

That approach has strengths, but it also reveals the scale of the problem. It can take up to ten years from identifying a site to putting a spade in the ground. In other words, even a good model cannot move fast enough to meet need at scale.

The episode also highlighted a familiar planning tension. Developers may argue that affordable housing requirements make schemes “unviable,” and local councils may reduce or remove those obligations. Over decades, especially since Right to Buy, the stock of social housing has declined, while demand has kept rising.

The result is a squeeze. Villages become less affordable, local services become harder to staff, and more people fall into housing insecurity.

What actually works: local partnerships, surveys, and small steps

Despite the scale of the challenge, the conversation was not hopeless. In fact, some of the most practical solutions were the simplest.

One of the most effective tools mentioned was the housing needs survey. Mark explained that parish and town councils can use these surveys to identify local need and build a stronger case for rural exception sites. That gives communities a factual basis for planning discussions rather than relying on assumptions.

Another key ingredient is landowner cooperation. In rural areas, there are sometimes local landowners or farmers who are willing to sell land below market value because they want to leave a legacy and help sustain the community. That willingness can make small-scale affordable housing possible.

Terry gave a real example of this in action: a farmer on the edge of a village sold land below commercial value, a housing needs survey was carried out, and five or six homes were built. The result was housing that stayed connected to the village and supported local services.

That’s the central idea behind rural housing done well:

• Find local need
• Identify a suitable site
• Work with willing landowners
• Build enough homes to sustain the community, without overwhelming it

Mark also stressed that the debate should move away from the “build hundreds of homes at once” model. In many villages, 10 to 20 homes may be enough to help keep a bus service going, support a school, or strengthen the local economy.

How local charities and communities can support rural homelessness services

The episode also asked an important question: what can local people actually do?

Terry explained that local charities often have narrow funding remits, which can limit what they can take on. Local businesses may also be difficult to engage. But there are still meaningful ways to help.

In Wisbech and Fenland, support often works best through partnerships - groups like local forums, charity networks, and community collaborations that help spread the word and coordinate action. The Ferry Project, for example, is central to local homelessness support, and many local partners help publicise its work, fundraising, and services.

Town wardens also play a practical role. In Wisbech, they are out in the community, meeting rough sleepers, signposting them to support, and helping connect them with the district council’s outreach team and the Ferry Project.

That matters because homelessness is rarely a one-issue problem. People may also be dealing with substance misuse, mental health challenges, or isolation. Effective support often means connecting housing help with wider services like drug and alcohol support, outreach teams, and community networks.

Mark’s point was encouraging: every little helps. You do not need to give large sums or volunteer full-time to make a difference. A donation, a small partnership, shared promotion, an apprenticeship opportunity, or a volunteer offer can all have a real impact.

For readers wondering what to do next, start small:

1. Learn what your local homelessness charity actually needs
2. Share their work publicly
3. Offer time, space, skills, or materials
4. Create partnerships instead of working in isolation

What does “home” really mean in a rural housing crisis?

The final part of the conversation brought the issue back to something deeper than policy: the meaning of home.

Terry reminded listeners that a house and a home are not the same thing. A home is safety, stability, family, and belonging. It is the place where life happens. Without it, people are left without the security that many of us take for granted.

That is why rural homelessness is not just about shelter. It is about whether people can stay connected to their communities, keep their jobs, access services, and live with dignity.

Mark ended with a reminder that rural England is changing. It is not the same as it was 20 years ago, and it will not be the same in 20 years’ time. The challenge now is to make sure that change does not leave rural communities behind.

If the current government is serious about homelessness, social housing, and devolution, then rural areas need to be part of that conversation from the beginning - not added later as an afterthought.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is rural homelessness?

Rural homelessness includes visible rough sleeping, but it also includes hidden forms such as sofa surfing, staying in sheds or garages, and living in other unsuitable places. Because it is less visible than urban homelessness, it is often undercounted.

Why is rural homelessness harder to measure?

People in rural areas may be more isolated, more ashamed of asking for help, or less likely to be seen by outreach services. Homelessness can also happen in less obvious places, like fields, hedges, and outbuildings.

What are rural exception sites?

Rural exception sites are small housing developments built specifically to meet local housing need, often for people with a strong connection to the village. They are designed to keep housing affordable and support community sustainability.

How can parish councils help with rural housing?

Parish councils can lead or support housing needs surveys, engage with landowners, and make the case for small-scale affordable housing. They are also well placed to share local intelligence about hidden homelessness.

How can I support a local homelessness charity?

You can donate, volunteer, share their work, offer practical skills, or help create partnerships with local businesses and organisations. Even small contributions can make a real difference.