Rankings · Unitary council
Cumberland
Cumberland council ranks 115th of 130 single-tier councils in England (likely range 94th to 122nd), in the bottom quarter.
Compare Cumberland with another council
Data as of 13 October 2026 · methodology v2.0 (stable) · to cite: "Cumberland council, Council Rankings, 13 October 2026, https://councilrankings.com/council/cumberland/"
Likely range 94th–122nd. Stays in the bottom quarter in 42% of re-runs. How we work this out
Ranked on the data available. Cumberland's latest spending and finance return (Revenue Outturn) has not yet been published, so value for money and financial health are not scored.
How Cumberland scores
Bar length shows the share of the 130 councils that Cumberland beats. Overall weights: service quality 60%, value for money 20%, financial health 20%. Select any measure below to see how every council compares on it.
Service quality
Allowing for need, Cumberland ranks 107th of 130 (likely range 92nd–118th), against 103rd unadjusted. That is about the same: need explains little of the difference between councils.
Adjusted: children's services, adult social care and waste & recycling. Not adjusted, because there is no published measure of need: planning, complaints, special educational needs and homelessness. This view is not part of the overall rank. How we adjust
Planning
| Measure | Cumberland | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major planning decisions made in time (24 months) Higher is better | 67.3% | 93.7% | =124 / 130 | 2024 Q3 to 2026 Q2 |
| Non-major planning decisions made in time (24 months) Higher is better | 72.3% | 92.0% | =124 / 130 | 2024 Q3 to 2026 Q2 |
| Planning decisions in the financial year Higher is better · context only | 1,169 | 1,092 | – | 2025-26 |
Source: MHCLG — Planning application statistics (PS2)
Waste & recycling
| Measure | Cumberland | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Household waste sent for reuse recycling or composting Higher is better | 50.1% | 37.4% | 20 / 130 | 2024-25 |
| Residual household waste per household Lower is better | 485 kg | 516 kg | 46 / 130 | 2024-25 |
Source: DEFRA — Local authority collected waste management
Complaints
| Measure | Cumberland | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ombudsman upheld decisions per 100k residents Lower is better | 4.3 | 4.8 | 56 / 130 | 2024-25 to 2025-26 |
| Ombudsman investigations upheld Lower is better | 85.7% | 81.9% | 86 / 130 | 2024-25 to 2025-26 |
| Ombudsman recommendations implemented on time Higher is better | 91.7% | 75.0% | 34 / 128 | 2025-26 |
| Ombudsman recommendations implemented Higher is better · context only | 100.0% | 100.0% | – | 2025-26 |
| Upheld complaints already remedied by the council before reaching the Ombudsman Higher is better · context only | 0.0% | 15.2% | – | 2025-26 |
Source: Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman — annual review data
Children's services
| Measure | Cumberland | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted overall effectiveness (children's services) Higher is better | Good | Good | =40 / 130 | latest at 2026-03-31 |
| Ofsted sub-judgements (average) Higher is better | 2.75 / 4 | Good | =76 / 130 | latest at 2026-03-31 |
Source: Ofsted — Local authority inspection outcomes
Adult social care
| Measure | Cumberland | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CQC assessment score for adult social care Higher is better | 52.8%Requires improvement assessment published 29 January 2026 | 63.9% | =106 / 126 | latest at 2026-10-13 |
| Quality of life of people who use services (adjusted) Higher is better | 0.424 | 0.417 | =48 / 129 | 2024-25 |
| People who use services satisfied with their care and support Higher is better | 63.8% | 65.5% | 78 / 129 | 2024-25 |
| Older people still at home 12 weeks after hospital discharge into reablement Higher is better | Suppressed or not collected | 62.5% | – | 2024-25 |
| Adults aged 18 to 64 with a learning disability who live in their own home or with family Higher is better | 70.9% | 83.9% | 120 / 129 | 2024-25 |
| People who use services who feel safe Higher is better | 71.9% | 70.7% | 52 / 129 | 2024-25 |
Source: CQC — Local authority assessment reports; DHSC — Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework
Special educational needs
| Measure | Cumberland | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New EHC plans issued within 20 weeks Higher is better | 27.1% | 58.3% | 111 / 130 | 2024 to 2025 |
Source: DfE — Education, health and care plans
Homelessness
| Measure | Cumberland | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homelessness prevented: accommodation secured for 6+ months Higher is better | 50.3% | 51.7% | 73 / 130 | 2025-09 to 2026-03 |
| Homelessness relieved: accommodation secured for 6+ months Higher is better | 42.8% | 33.5% | 32 / 130 | 2025-09 to 2026-03 |
| Households in temporary accommodation per 1000 households Lower is better | 0.7 | 2.8 | 17 / 126 | 2026-03 |
| Families with children in B&B for more than 6 weeks Lower is better · context only | 1 | 0 | – | 2026-03 |
Value for money
Adult social care value for money
Revenue Outturn return not received in time for publication
Children's services value for money
Revenue Outturn return not received in time for publication
Waste value for money
Revenue Outturn return not received in time for publication
Planning value for money
Revenue Outturn return not received in time for publication
Financial health
Reserves
| Measure | Cumberland | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usable reserves as a share of net revenue expenditure Higher is better | Revenue Outturn return not received in time for publication | 33.0% | – | 2025-26 |
| Change in usable reserves over the year as a share of net revenue expenditure Higher is better | Revenue Outturn return not received in time for publication | 0.4% | – | 2025-26 |
Debt
| Measure | Cumberland | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debt servicing costs as a share of net revenue expenditure Lower is better | Revenue Outturn return not received in time for publication | 9.7% | – | 2025-26 |
| Borrowing need (excluding council housing) as a share of net revenue expenditure Lower is better | Revenue Outturn return not received in time for publication | 184.6% | – | 2024-25 borrowing, 2025-26 spend |
Schools funding deficit
| Measure | Cumberland | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High-needs (DSG) deficit as a share of net revenue expenditure Lower is better | Revenue Outturn return not received in time for publication | 8.8% | – | 2025-26 |
Government bailouts
| Measure | Cumberland | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exceptional Financial Support over three years as a share of net revenue expenditure Lower is better | Revenue Outturn return not received in time for publication | 0.0% | – | 2024-25 to 2026-27 |
Context
Background figures. These don't count towards the score.
| Population | 282,343 | median 277,253 | mid-2025 |
| Net service spend per resident | Revenue Outturn return not received in time for publication | median £2,026.28 | 2025-26 |
| Index of Multiple Deprivation average score | 23.807 | median 24.057 | 2025 |
| Families with children in B&B for more than 6 weeks | 1 | median 0 | 2026-03 |
| Who runs the council | Labour majority | 16 September 2026 | |
| Seats on the council | Labour 26, Conservative 8, Independent and other 5, Liberal Democrat 4, Green 3 (of 46 seats) | 16 September 2026 | |
| Audit opinion on the latest accounts | Opinion signed 13 March 2026. PSAA status: post backstop opinion delivered. | 2024-25 | |
| Years of the last three with no audit opinion signed | 0 | median 0 | 2022-23 to 2024-25 |
| Band D council tax (council element) | £2,002.64 | median £1,969.00 | 2026-27 |
| Band D council tax change on previous year | 5.0% | median 5.0% | 2026-27 |
| Band D council tax total bill (incl. GLA/police/fire/combined authority) | £2,511.32 | median £2,435.01 | 2026-27 |
Also responsible in Cumberland
These services are run by other bodies, so they don't count towards Cumberland's score.
- Cumbria Combined Authority: transport (shared with the councils until 31 March 2027); economic development
Councils nearby
The closest ranked councils by distance between council centres. Nearness says nothing about how similar they are.
- Westmorland and Furness: 32nd of 130, top quarter · compare
- Blackpool: 124th of 130, bottom quarter · compare
- County Durham: 12th of 130, top quarter · compare
- Northumberland: 62nd of 130, upper middle · compare
- Newcastle upon Tyne: 108th of 130, bottom quarter · compare
ONS code E06000063 · How we score · Report an error · Changelog