An Exploration of ‘Bundles' as Indicators of Rural Disadvantage

Abstract

Indicators are increasingly used in the allocation of resources in addressing problems of disadvantage. The most commonly used indicators have generally been developed in relation to urban problems and there is a concern that this fails to reveal problems as experienced in rural areas. Many of the indicators that might be used are ambiguous and there appear to be few single indicators that adequately capture the complex nature of the problems facing people living in rural areas. An alternative approach is proposed, involving the development of bundles of indicators that are defined around notional numbers of people living in particular sets of circumstances relating, for example, to employment, service provision, and access to housing. A number of bundles are suggested and illustrative results are presented for three counties. Analysis illustrates how the results may be used to compare the incidence of disadvantage between urban and rural areas, the concentration of disadvantage within rural areas, and the relationships between the various types of disadvantage. The approach has potential both for analysing the incidence of rural disadvantage and as a basis for the allocation of rural development assistance.