Our people

The population of Cumberland is around 273,555 people. Cumberland is sparsely populated with an average of 235 people per square mile, significantly lower than the national average of 1,124.

Cumberland has a ‘super-ageing’ population with a significantly higher proportion of people aged 65+ than the national average. This trend is expected to continue with an increase of around 35 to 40% in the number of older people (65 and over) unable to manage at least one activity on their own or admitted into hospital due to a fall, by 2040.

Cumberland has some of the least deprived areas in England, often within rural areas and parts of the Lake District. However, there are pockets of high deprivation in parts of Carlisle and within ex-industrial towns along the west coast. Life expectancy varies across our area, but generally it is lower than that of England as a whole.

The proportion of people in Cumberland in good or very good health is lower than in the North West and England. We have more people proportionally who identify as disabled than in the North West and England. We have the same proportion of people who provide unpaid care as the North West and slightly higher than in England.

Nationally, expenditure on support for working age adults (for example, younger adults with learning disabilities) will increase by 50% per year by 2030. This is in part fuelled by an increase in complex care requirements and Cumberland will likely see a similar trend.