Higher food, fuel and heating bills than cities: The soaring cost of living a rural dream

Millions who have escaped the rat race of city life for a rural idyll are paying a heavy financial penalty, according to a study. 

They are typically having to pay more than £1,000 a year extra to maintain the same standard of living.

Rural idyll: In reality village life is much more expensive

Almost £600 of this is because millions of rural households rely on heating oil and bottled gas to stay warm. They have leapt by more than 80 per cent in price in a year.

The dwindling number of country petrol stations also usually charge more for fuel, pushing up the cost of driving to a distant supermarket for the weekly shop.

Meanwhile, those who stick with local village stores which can't buy in bulk often find they have to pay more for essentials such as bread and milk. 

The research by Moneysupermarket.com compared Patterdale in the Lake District to Edinburgh.

Patterdale, a remote village popular for its hill walks, is 16 miles from the nearest major supermarket, with petrol and diesel costing around 7p a litre more than in the Scottish capital.

Someone taking a 32-mile round trip to a supermarket 52 times a year will spend more than £260 on fuel.

In Edinburgh, where supermarkets and petrol stations abound and public transport is plentiful, the cost of fuel for supermarket trips will be less than £100 a year.

The average salary in Patterdale is £19,200, which is £8,000 less than Edinburgh. But the average council tax for a Band D property comes in at £1,460, which is £300 more than Edinburgh.

Barely any of Patterdale's homes have mains gas so this makes them reliant on heating oil and bottled gas. 

British Gas customers who receive their gas from the national grid of pipelines have suffered a rise of 50 per cent in bills since the beginning of the year. The dual fuel bill is around £1,300 a year.

However, this pales into insignificance when looking at heating oil, which is up by more than 85 per cent in a year.

In June last year, the average price per litre of heating oil was 32p. It is now selling for around 60p. Consequently, a typical household spending £1,000 on heat last year will now have to find an extra £875  -  taking it to £1,875. 

Families relying on bottled gas have seen the monthly cost rise from around £104  -  an increase of 82 per cent or £564 a year to £1,248.

The cost of electricity, which is supplied across the grid, comes on top of heating oil or bottled gas. 

Clare Francis, of Moneysupermarketcom, said: 'A stark rural reality is starting to hit home. Over five million households without mains gas are paying double what they were last year to heat their homes.

'Rural Britain is paying more than urban Britain for its food, petrol and diesel, is travelling further and earning less. It's becoming a view at a cost. 

'We are looking at rural ruin as prices soar. The most effective measure open to the Government would be to cut fuel tax by 10p per litre.'

Our struggle

Tom Driscoll, 50, and Jillian Beggs, 57, bought the post office and village shop in Patterdale in October 2005 after moving from Florida. 

Their food bill is £100 a month, their electricity bill for heating and lighting their home and shop comes to £330 a month and they spend £100 a month on fuel.

The couple, pictured, who have no children, have noticed a dramatic rise in the cost of living and admit they have been forced to pass this on to customers.

Tough times: Tom Driscoll and Jillian Beggs

Mr Driscoll says his electricity bill has almost doubled in the past 12 months and his cost of living has increased by at least 15 per cent this year. 

He said: 'We have to decide whether to pass on the cost to our customers or absorb it. Some grumble, but we're still charging the same mark-up. 

'We make our own bread and I've had to put up the price of that twice this year. Two years ago we were charging £1.40 a loaf, now it's £1.95.

'Our biggest fear is the increasing cost of power. Our electricity bill will probably be around £4,000 by the end of the year. We can pass on the cost to customers, but it must be difficult for the pensioners in the village.

'My family in America don't believe me when I tell them the cost of living. But we love it here. It's becoming more difficult, but we're hoping we can earn the same as last year.'