Town Pop. 537

Living in Winscales: Liveability Score 45/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Winscales comes out at 45/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Healthcare is where Winscales most outperforms the national norm: 42/100 against a median of 18/100 across UK towns. The biggest shortfall against other towns is broadband: 10/100 versus a median of 60/100.

Among the 8 scored places sharing the CA14 postcode district, Winscales ranks 6th. Its healthcare score runs 18 points above the CA14 district's 24/100. Also scoring 80 or better: safety (88). The same breakdown for the wider area is on the CA14 postcode district.

45
OUT OF 100
Below Avg
Score for:

Settlement area

The built-up area boundary and the postcodes its score is averaged from, each shaded by its own score. Clustered pins are other settlements. Tap one to view or compare it, or zoom in to reveal more.

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Each postcode is coloured by its own overall score on the default weighting. Scores are filled in as postcodes get searched on the site, so a blue dot just means that postcode hasn't been scored yet.

Winscales scores 45 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Winscales.
Or compare:
CA14 1AA CA14 2AA CA14 3AA CA14 4AA CA14 5AA CA14 9BW CA14

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
88
264.4 crimes per 1,000 residents · last 12 months Above the England & Wales average of 94.3
Crime rate vs national average · last 12 months
Violence and sexual offences 66 crimes
↑ 269% above national average
Public order 24 crimes
↑ 588% above national average
Other theft 13 crimes
↑ 290% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 11 crimes
↑ 201% above national average
Other crime 9 crimes
↑ 740% above national average
other 19 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Winscales Avenue 40 crimes
  2. 2 Joseph Noble Road 18 crimes
  3. 3 Parking Area 16 crimes

Source: data.police.uk · England & Wales only

Environment
65
Air Quality NO₂ 3.9 · PM2.5 4.3 · PM10 7.9 µg/m³
82
Green Space 25
Parks Some 1
Sports Pitches Adequate 2
Allotments None
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds None

Services

Schools
34
4 schools in area · 14 within 4km
2Good1Requires Improvement1Ungraded
  • Distington Community SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Energy Coast UTCSecondary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • West Cumbria Learning CentreAlternative provision · inspected 2023
    Requires Improvement
  • Branthwaite AcademySpecial · inspected 2024
    Ungraded

Ungraded: inspected, but Ofsted no longer issues a single overall grade (since Sept 2024).

Score reflects proximity-weighted access to rated schools within 4km: areas with more nearby schools score higher regardless of settlement boundary.

Healthcare
42
A&E departmentsCumberland Infirmary29.4 mi
Royal Lancaster Infirmary48.5 mi
Blackpool Victoria Hospital57.9 mi
Hospital waitsNorth Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust0.5 mi
Routine referral (median)12 wks
Treated within 18 weeks64.3%
A&E seen within 4 hrs62.6%
Nearest GP surgeryDistington Surgery1.3 mi
GP capacity1,821 patients per GP
0dentists0pharmacies

Score reflects proximity to CQC-rated GP surgeries and hospitals, not facility count. Dentists and pharmacies are shown for context but don't affect the score.

Broadband
10
Full fibre (FTTP)73.1%
available across Cumberland
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
0%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
0%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
100%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 6 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
50
Employment rate51.3%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed51.3%Unemployed2.8%Retired33.1%Student2%Other inactive10.8%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial30.8%Skilled & technical33.6%Routine & elementary35.6%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications24.2%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)10.1%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)13.9%Level 3 (A levels)16.9%Level 4+ (degree & above)22.7%Apprenticeship9.1%Other (incl. vocational)3.1%
Home ownership70.6%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
42
Council tax Cumberland · 2026-27
A £1,674
B £1,953
C £2,232
D £2,511
E £3,069
F £3,627
G £4,185
H £5,022
Energy North West England region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band D
Water United Utilities
Average bill regional £456/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
28
Harrington 1.8 mi
Workington 2.8 mi
Parton 3.6 mi
J41 M6 29.8 mi
J41 M6 29.9 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
17
Pubs & Bars None
Restaurants & Cafes Some 1
Supermarkets & Convenience Some 1
Retail Shopping Adequate 11
Takeaways Some 2
Fitness Some 1

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Winscales in the last 12 months, which isn't enough for a reliable median. Smaller villages often fall below this in any given year. Figures come from HM Land Registry Price Paid data and are updated monthly, so this may fill in later.

Nearby places

High Harrington 51 0.9 mi away ⇄
Distington 50 1.2 mi away ⇄
Workington 47 2.1 mi away ⇄
Stainburn 55 2.5 mi away ⇄
Lowca 51 2.8 mi away ⇄
Great Clifton 36 3.2 mi away ⇄
Seaton (Allerdale) 47 3.5 mi away ⇄
Parton 46 3.7 mi away ⇄
Moresby Parks 54 3.8 mi away ⇄
Siddick 34 4.0 mi away ⇄
Greysouthen 31 4.2 mi away ⇄
Arlecdon 47 4.4 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Winscales a nice place to live?

Winscales has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Winscales is 45/100, placing it among a below-average areas in the UK across nine categories: safety, schools, healthcare, environment, transport, broadband, lifestyle, economic health, and bills.

How safe is Winscales?

Winscales is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 88/100. There were 142 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Winscales?

Among the top-rated schools in Winscales are Distington Community School and Energy Coast UTC, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 4 rated schools in Winscales in total.

Winscales in context

See the best places to live in Cumbria, ranked

Postcode districts in Winscales

CA14 45 ⇄

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