Newcastle Diocese is largely a rural diocese with an urban fringe. The City of Newcastle upon Tyne is situated at the Southernmost point. There are urban areas of past industry, namely ship building and coal mining, and these areas can be quite deprived with, in some cases, third generation of unemployment.
The more rural areas in the North cover many miles with the main employment being agriculture and tourism. Rural poverty can be disguised by the beauty of the surroundings but low wages and poor access to amenities cause hardship.