Rural poverty report demands action - Farron calls for fuel duty reduction in Cumbria

South Lakes MP, Tim Farron, is calling for the Rural Fuel Duty scheme which is to be piloted in the Scottish Highlands and remote Islands to be rolled out in England and, in particular the Lake District.

Research carried out by a team from Loughborough University for the Commission for Rural Communities found that people living in rural areas need to earn up to 20% more than their urban counterparts to reach the same standards of living. This cost of living for rural inhabitants is often driven up by higher costs of transport and energy bills.

Earlier in the year Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander, announced a fuel duty pilot scheme in the Scottish Highlands and remote islands, which saw fuel prices fall by up to 5 pence per litre, but this scheme now needs to be rolled out in rural communities across England.

Commenting today Tim said: "The fact that those living in rural areas are facing considerably higher costs of living than those in urban areas is simply unfair. The rural fuel duty scheme being piloted in Scotland is a great idea to try and bring down some of these cost but it's about time we brought the scheme to England and where better to start than in Cumbria, which is home to thousands of rural dwellers."