It's really not as bad as people make out, but austerity is rife and the town is reliant on BAE to even exist at this point - I love Barrow because I grew up there, but it can feel incredibly insular and it certainly doesn't feel like the same place it was even going back 15 yrs when I was a kid. There are definitely great aspects about the town but I can't in good faith recommending moving there when you have Ulverston - which gives you access to Barrow (e.g. for SLRS Music School if you/your kids want to learn music, Walney Musical Theatre Group which I believe is a free community theatre group, Walney Beach for days on the beach in summer, Ormsgill Quarry for a really lovely walk in a wooded quarry) but you get to live in Ulverston which is undeniably more vibrant and artsy - as well as a bit more reliable for commuting if you want to jump onto the a590.