HOUSEHOLD MAKEUP Percentage of households by household composition in Carlisle:6 Classification Percentage in Carlisle 2011 Percentage in Carlisle 2021 Percentage in England 2021 One-person household: Aged 66 years and over (Aged 65 years and over in 2011) 13.9% 14.6% 12.8% One-person household: 20.0% 20.5% 17.3% Single-family household: Cohabiting-couple family: No children 18.8% 18.4% 16.8% Single-family household: Cohabiting-couple family: With dependent children 17.6% 16.5% 18.9% Single-family household: Cohabiting-couple family: All children non-dependent 6.2% 5.9% 6.3% Single-family household: Lone-parent household 9.9% 9.9% 11.1% Other household types 13.6% 14.2% 16.9% While housing costs are less expensive than elsewhere, the cost-of-living crisis has placed a growing financial strain on household budgets for more families and across a broader range of age groups, including people who are working. Rent arrears spiked during 2020-2022 and we are still trying to recover these arrears which is proving difficult to do. We have a lot of people on zero hours contracts which impacts on things like Universal Credit claims. Issues like affordable warmth, inflation and interest rates going up has also had a knock-on effect and our customers have probably been some of the worst affected in society. Registered Housing Provider HOMELESSNESS AND RISK OF HOMELESSNESS The latest quarterly bulletin from the Department for Levelling Up and Housing Oct to Dec 2024 shows that across Cumberland, of the 352 households that were assessed as ‘owed a duty’7 187 were threatened with homelessness and 165 were classified as homeless.8 In 2023/24 37% of the Cumberland cases (or 1,079) were from Carlisle, with 37% (298) and 52% (458) respectively either threatened with homelessness or homeless. Local voluntary and community groups, including Carlisle Key and Cumbria Gateway, are supporting people who are homeless and at risk of homelessness by providing much needed advice and information, emergency accommodation, and practical support. 1St Cuthbert’s Garden Village: https://www.stcuthbertsgv.co.uk/ 2Housing Prices in Cumberland, Office for National Statistics, 2025, https://www.ons.gov.uk/visualisations/housingpriceslocal/E06000063/ 3Figures quoted are from Rightmove and are correct at the time of writing. Please note that the statistics change regularly. https://www.rightmove.co.uk/house-prices/carlisle. html?country=england&searchLocation=Carlisle 4Housing Prices in Cumberland, Office for National Statistics, 2025, https://www.ons.gov.uk/visualisations/housingpriceslocal/E06000063/#rent_price 5How life has changed in Carlisle, Census 2021, Office for National Statistics, https://www.ons.gov.uk/visualisations/censusareachanges/E07000028/ 6How life has changed in Carlisle, Census 2021, Office for National Statistics https://www.ons.gov.uk/visualisations/censusareachanges/E07000028/ 7A local authority will owe an applicant the main housing duty when the duty to relieve homelessness has ended, and they are satisfied the applicant is: homeless and eligible for assistance; in priority need and not intentionally homeless. 8Initial assessments of statutory homelessness duties owed England, April to June 2024, https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-homelessness 9Regional Gross Disposable Household Income (GDHI) at Current Basic Prices, NOMIS Office for National Statistics, 2021: https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/query/construct/summary. asp?reset=yes&mode=construct&dataset=185&version=0&anal=1 Living in Poverty DISPOSABLE HOUSEHOLD INCOME Gross disposable household income (GDHI) is the amount of money that individuals have available for spending or saving after income distribution measures (for example, taxes, social contributions and benefits) have taken effect. GDHI reflects individuals ‘material welfare’. It is concerning that Carlisle has the lowest GDHI of all of Cumbria’s Districts. GDHI per head in Carlisle (2021) was £17,724, with South Lakeland being the highest District in Cumbria at £24,312. Carlisle’s GDHI is just 81.8% of the UK’s GDHI.9 FUEL POVERTY10 According to National Energy Action, 6.1 million households in the UK11 are estimated to be fuel poor, with estimates indicating that the average household spends £1,849 annually on energy expenses. In Carlisle parliamentary constituency in 2022, 5,553 households (13.2% of all households) were estimated to be living in fuel poverty.12 In 2023, homes headed by a single parent were most likely to be fuel impoverished (29%), followed by child-bearing couples (14%) and single-person households with members under 60 (14%), as well as those over 60 (14%). Fuel poverty was also projected to affect 13% of multi-person households and 10% of couples over 60.13 Energy efficient homes reduce heating costs for residents. New dwellings are becoming more efficient, regardless of property or tenure type.14 Homes are given an energy efficiency score when they receive an energy performance certificate (EPC) and the median score for energy efficiency in England is 68 (band D).15 In Carlisle median energy efficiency scores for homes vary between 57 in Longtown and the Border and 78 in the Garlands and Dalston.16 FOOD POVERTY17 Food poverty is mostly caused by rising food prices, often as a consequence of rising fuel prices. Prices for food and non-alcoholic beverages increased by 19.1% in the year ending in March 2023, the highest increase since 1977.18 Citizens Advice Carlisle and Eden (CACE) referred 442 clients for charitable support and to food banks during 2024.19 This number was impacted by the changes in eligibility for the Winter Fuel Payment.20 The Food Cumberland Partnership21 is currently looking at how food poverty can be tackled including, for example, moving from food banks to affordable food hubs and community shops. Results from Food Cumberland’s Food Insecurity Survey 202422 also revealed that: One third of the sample of respondents were deemed as food insecure. 82% of those not working due to long term sickness or disability experienced food insecurity. Despite high levels of hardship among participants, 70% of respondents indicated they hadn’t sought any help with cost-ofliving support. There is a clear age gradient, with those in the youngest age groups more likely to be food insecure. 10Different organisations use different methodologies to estimate households in fuel poverty and these methodologies also change over time. These variations in methodological approaches mean that it is difficult to compare statistics from different organisations and over varying timeframes. The methodology used by the UK Government to calculate fuel poverty in England changed in 2021. In 2020 the Low-Income High Costs (LIHC) indicator was used and from 2021 onwards the Low Energy Efficiency (LILEE) indicator was used. The LIHC costs defines a household as being fuel poor if they have required fuel costs that are above average (the national median level); and were they to spend that amount, the household would be left with a residual income below the official poverty line. The Low-Income Low Energy Efficiency (LILEE) indicator defines that a household is considered to be fuel poor if it meets two key criteria: i) Low energy efficiency. This includes all households with a Fuel Poverty Energy Efficiency Rating (FPEER) of band D or below and ii) Low income. This includes all households whose residual household income would be below the official poverty line if they were to spend their modelled energy costs. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fuel-poverty-statistics-methodology-handbook Carlisle: Opportunities & Challenges 2025 32 33
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