Penrith and Solway covers a broad part of Cumbria from the market town of Penrith west toward the Solway coast. Penrith is the principal inland service and transport centre, while smaller towns, villages and farming communities are spread across a large rural area. The constituency includes lowland agricultural country, river valleys and parts of the upland landscapes toward the Lake District and North Pennines. The Solway Firth shapes the western edge, giving the seat a significant coastal dimension. Major road and rail routes provide north–south connections. Overall, the constituency combines one important market town with extensive countryside and dispersed settlements.
Election data comes from UK Parliament. Turnout percentage is calculated by Project Open Gov from Parliament's turnout and electorate figures.
People and place
A population and household snapshot for Penrith and Solway, using validated House of Commons Library constituency datasets.
Estimated population99,608
EstimateMid-2024 estimate
Region / nationNorth West
Age profile
0 to 1717.3% · 17,215 people
18 to 245.6% · 5,567 people
25 to 3410.2% · 10,141 people
35 to 4916.1% · 15,989 people
50 to 6423.6% · 23,473 people
65 and over27.3% · 27,223 people
Population figures are mid-2024 estimates from the House of Commons Library. Project Open Gov calculates the estimated population shown above by summing the six published age-band counts. View population source ↗
Home ownership and renting
Housing tenure shows how households in this constituency described their home at the most recent census.
43,873 householdsCensus 2021
Home owners70.6% · 30,993 households
Private renters14.2% · 6,236 households
Social renters14.3% · 6,292 households
Other tenure0.8% · 352 households
“Other tenure” combines shared ownership and households recorded as living rent free.
Housing-tenure figures come from the most recent census: 2021 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and 2022 in Scotland. View housing-tenure source ↗
Household composition
A broad view of household types in this constituency. Project Open Gov uses the four broad groups supplied by the Commons Library so the presentation remains consistent across the UK.
43,873 householdsCensus 2021
One-person households31.8% · 13,962 households
Families with dependent children22.5% · 9,862 households
Other single-family households43.2% · 18,953 households
Other household types2.5% · 1,096 households
Household-composition figures come from the Commons Library constituency dataset. The source uses census data and Project Open Gov displays its broad household groups rather than attempting to harmonise the detailed categories itself. View household-composition source ↗
Disability and day-to-day activities
The source records whether day-to-day activities are limited and uses separate person-level tables for England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
97,240 people in the source baseCensus 2021Source comparison: England & Wales
Day-to-day activities limited a lot7.7% · 7,486 people
Day-to-day activities limited a little10.7% · 10,407 people
Not disabled under the Equality Act81.6% · 79,347 people
Comparison note: the workbook uses different source terminology across the UK: England & Wales uses “Disabled under the Equality Act”, while Scotland and Northern Ireland use “Disabled” / “Non-disabled”. Project Open Gov therefore preserves the source categories and does not present them as one single like-for-like UK legal definition.
Disability figures come from the Commons Library constituency workbook. This profile uses the person-level tables only; the workbook also contains separate household-level disability tables which are not used here. View disability source ↗
Petitions
Open UK Government and Parliament petitions that have reached at least 10,000 signatures nationally, ranked here by the number of signatures recorded in this constituency.
Petition signatures are not a poll and do not show what the constituency as a whole thinks. A person can also sign more than one petition.
Open petitionCloses 8 December 2026
End the mandatory fortification of white flour with folic acid immediately
Signatures in this constituency328
Signatures nationally127,802
Government response published · 100,000-signature debate threshold reached
Signature counts come from the official UK Government and Parliament petitions data and may change while a petition remains open. Browse official petitions ↗
Funding and local projects
National Lottery grants awarded to organisations recorded in this parliamentary constituency since 4 July 2024.
The constituency is based on the recipient organisation recorded in the source data. The funded activity may sometimes take place across a wider area.
Grants recorded84
Total awarded£3,705,883
Most recent awards
National Lottery grantAwarded 29 June 2026
I Can Play Here
Fitz Park
£18,641
The National Lottery Community Fund · Charitable and Community including Health, Education and Environment
About this award
Fitz Park - Children & Young People - National Lottery Awards for All England
National Lottery grantAwarded 24 June 2026
The Immortal Sisterhood Live: Engagement and Performances
TISL LIMITED
£19,896
Arts Council England · Arts
About this award
The Immortal Sisterhood Live: Engagement and Performances - Not discipline specific - National Lottery Project Grants
National Lottery grantAwarded 18 June 2026
Underskiddaw Village Hall - New Heating System
Underskiddaw Village Hall
£15,986
The National Lottery Community Fund · Charitable and Community including Health, Education and Environment
About this award
Underskiddaw Village Hall - Environment - National Lottery Awards for All England
National Lottery grantAwarded 18 June 2026
Counselling and Family Support
Flynne's Barn
£19,517
The National Lottery Community Fund · Charitable and Community including Health, Education and Environment
About this award
Flynne's Barn - Children & Young People - National Lottery Awards for All England
National Lottery grantAwarded 17 June 2026
NADT Youth Provision
North Allerdale Development Trust Limited
£271,235
The National Lottery Community Fund · Charitable and Community including Health, Education and Environment
About this award
North Allerdale Development Trust Limited - Children & Young People - RC North East and Cumbria Region
79 more awards are available.
Source: DCMS National Lottery Grants Database. The figures shown cover awards from 4 July 2024 to 1 July 2026. View official grants data ↗
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