Introduction This report describes the circumstances in which the people of Carlisle and surrounding rural areas live, their challenges and their opportunities. It uses key factual information to provide a summary of social needs, barriers to success and community issues. It brings together comprehensive statistics that describe all aspects of the area, and includes ‘Carlisle Voices’ – extracts from interviews with influential local people; the results of conversations with more than 30 people; focus groups with charity leaders; discussions with young people; and a survey that attracted more than 400 responses. Together they describe what they believe is special about life in Carlisle and district, what needs to be done to improve the area and what makes them most proud. The report also contains a range of case studies of community projects and organisations that address some of the area’s most pressing issues. The creation of this independent report has been led by Cumbria Community Foundation, a charity whose primary objective is to address disadvantage and strengthen communities across Cumbria. It does this by promoting philanthropy and managing a growing portfolio of grant making funds. It has raised and distributed in excess of £70m across the county since 1999 and is home to more than 120 individual and corporate philanthropic grant making funds. This report is the fourth in a series created by the Community Foundation and follows the successful Cumbria Revealed (2017), West Cumbria: Opportunities and Challenges (2019) and Furness: Opportunities and Challenges (2021) reports. In July 2024, the Foundation launched the creation of this report to more than 50 representatives of organisations and individuals from the community. They set the tone for the report and assisted in promoting the conversations and research that underpin the findings. The report has several roles. It is a resource for local charities to plan their work and inform bids for funding. It is a reference document for professionals in the public sector planning services and developing regeneration plans. It provides a focus for charitable funders both local and national that wish to prioritise how they invest in the community and it is a call to action for existing and future philanthropists to give generously and strategically in support of the people of the area. Special thanks to members of the Steering Group that supported the creation of the report. Membership involved representation from senior figures from the public, private and charitable sectors – they are listed in full on page 79. Andy Beeforth OBE Chief Executive, Cumbria Community Foundation ANDY BEEFORTH Chief Executive Carlisle in Profile Size: 402 square miles1 Population: around 110,000 (21.7% aged 65 and over, 17% aged 15 and under)2 Population density: 106 residents per square kilometre3 Average House Price: £165,7614 Unemployment rate: 2.7% (March 2025)5 Life Expectancy 2020-22: for men 77.3 years, for women 81.5 years6 Multiple deprivation: 4 Lower Layer Super Output Areas (LSOAs) fall within the 10% most deprived areas in England; these communities are located within: Belle Vue; Upperby; Morton; and Botcherby7 Carlisle is situated in the North West of England. It is bordered by Scotland to the north, Northumberland to the east, the Eden Valley to the south and Allerdale to the west. Carlisle is closer to the Scottish capital of Edinburgh (98 miles away) than it is to the English capital of London (308) miles away. Carlisle is made up of Carlisle city – the only city in Cumbria – with smaller towns including Longtown and Brampton and number of smaller villages. Carlisle also has a large rural area, with some of the most sparsely populated and remote communities in the UK, particularly in the communities situated between Brampton and Longtown and the Scottish and Northumberland borders. Often referred to as the “Great Border City”, at various points in history Carlisle has been in either English or Scottish territories. The Romans, Vikings and the Border Reivers all lived in Carlisle, leaving behind a rich history and cultural heritage including Hadrian’s Wall, a Unesco World Heritage Site. Carlisle is also a picturesque area with two areas of outstanding natural beauty – with parts of the Solway Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and North Pennines National Landscape in Carlisle. Three rivers – the Eden, Caldew and the Petteril – converge in Carlisle city, the River Esk flows through Longtown and the River Irthing flows near Brampton. Carlisle also has a range of important countryside attractions including the Settle-Carlisle Line and the Cumbria Way National Trail. In 2023 Carlisle district was replaced by Cumberland Council, which covers the geographical footprint of three former districts: Allerdale, Copeland and Carlisle. The new council took on the functions previously performed by these district councils and Cumbria County Council. 1 Carlisle City Council, Area statistics, (Carlisle 1042 square km = 402 square miles) https://www.carlisle.gov.uk/carlisle-business/Why-Carlisle/Area-Statistics 2 Office for National Statistics, How life has changed in Carlisle: Census 2021, https://www.ons.gov.uk/visualisations/censusareachanges/E07000028/ 3 Dataset provided by Census 2021 estimates classify usual residents in England and Wales by population density (number of usual residents per square kilometre). The estimates are as at Census Day, 21 March 2021, https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS006/editions/2021/versions/4/filter-outputs/1275b246-2b59-473a-8a53-7a5b064d99e4#get-data 4 Figures 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 5 Cumberland Intelligence Observatory, Labour Market Briefing, April 2025: Labour Market Briefing 6 Life Expectancy at birth 3 year range (2020-22) Department of Health and Social Care, Local Authority Health Profiles: https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/health-profiles/ data#page/1/ati/301/are/E07000028 7 Cumberland Council, Carlisle Narrative Summary, July 2021: https://www.cumbria.gov.uk/elibrary/Content/Internet/536/671/4674/17217/43937115157.pdf Carlisle: Opportunities & Challenges 2025 4 5
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