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Our latest State of the Countryside Update looks at some of the data and analysis being used to help inform our inquiry into the future for England's upland communities, which will report in the autumn.

State of the Countryside Update: Uplands indicates that many prevailing views about uplands life need challenging. On one hand a quarter of households in the uplands are living below the poverty line, average hill farming incomes have fallen by as much as 40% and there is a continuing decline in the provision of local services.

On the other hand upland economies demonstrate a diverse range of employment opportunities. As many as 1 in 4 businesses are run by enterprising sole traders, and the uplands in general demonstrate a much more balanced age profile and stable population.

Stuart Burgess, our chair and the Government's Rural Advocate said:

"Overall, there are certainly some striking contrasts in the statistical evidence, and these confirm to me that our inquiry looking at the future for England’s upland communities was both timely and necessary"

"With hill farming incomes falling so sharply, there is the possibility that too many upland farmers will be forced to give up because they can’t make a living. That would not only be a tragedy for them and their families, but also bad news for the local economy and for the rest of us."

State of the Countryside Update: Uplands will inform our inquiry into the future for England's upland communities, along with all the evidence we've gathered from uplands residents, expert sources and other interested parties. The inquiry's final report and recommendations to Government and others will be published in the autumn.

Download 'State of the Countryside Update: Uplands'

Find out more about our inquiry into the future for England's upland communities

Find out more about our State of the Countryside Updates