25/5/2009 - Cumbria Voted 3rd best area in the UK for Social Care : Cumbria County Council

Cumbria has been voted the third best area in the UK for social care, according to an independent survey of nearly 14,000 older people commissioned by business group Saga.

The survey of over 50s looks at the best places for older and retired people to live across the UK and what things make an area attractive.

92% chose Cumbria as a great place to live in retirement due to being near the countryside, 88% due to the peace and quiet and 66% due to the friendly neighbourhoods.

Other top reasons for choosing Cumbria included low crime rates, good leisure opportunities and good public amenities.

Cumbria came out as the third best area for social care, with 31% of people rating social care facilities in the county as either 'good' or 'very good'; only 3% of respondents rated social care facilities in Cumbria as 'extremely bad'. The number of good/extremely good ratings means only Fife and Lanarkshire rate more highly than Cumbria.

The happiest older people are those who are living in rural areas and those who do not think they would be any happier if they were, according to the survey.

Access to the countryside was the single most important thing to people nationwide, where more than 80% polled put access to countryside ahead of social life, access to healthcare, house prices, friendly neighbourhoods and good shops. Peace and quiet scored highest as the thing most desired.

Devon came out at the top place to retire, with London being the least sought-after retirement location.

Of the people polled currently living in Cumbria, 93% were happy or satisfied living in the area and 83% would be likely to recommend Cumbria as a place to retire.

Richard Parry, acting director of adult and cultural service at Cumbria County Council, said:

"In England, 43% of over-50s plan to move away when they retire and it is really good news that people both old and young appreciate all the great things Cumbria has to offer. However, we recognise that this significant demographic change will place additional pressure on our services, and so we are adapting how we care for older people to cater for this. More and more people want to keep the independence of living at home, so we are shaping our services so they can do that. There is also an increased focus on early intervention and preventative health measures so that people can stay healthy and happy for longer in their retirement."

Cumbria has a significantly ageing population with one in three people expected to be of retirement age by 2028. Around 27% of all householders in the county are over 65. This compares with the national 23% average.

The number of people aged 85 and older in the county - more than half of whom receive some form of care - is expected to increase by nearly 20% over the next five years.