Improved rural connectivity could boost the UK economy by £65.1 billion, new economic modelling from the Cebr for Virgin Media O2 has found.
The report, titled ‘The Great Rural Revival’, addresses four sectors central to the UK’s rural economy – tourism, agriculture, manufacturing, and small businesses – and finds connectivity improvements could boost rural employment by 6.8%, creating an additional 284,000 new jobs.
Over the last decade, digital connectivity has been improved in rural communities across the UK, creating new opportunities within previously disconnected regions. However, a digital divide remains between rural and urban communities2, which is preventing rural communities and economies from achieving their growth potential, with many areas still unable to access reliable connectivity.
Cebr is an independent London-based economic consultancy specialising in economic impact assessment, macroeconomic forecasting and thought leadership. For more information on this report, or if you are interested in commissioning research with Cebr, please contact us using our enquiries page.