The Ageing Population

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Positive Consequences of an Ageing Population

The term ‘ageing population’ relates to the increase in the average age of the population and a greater proportion of older people in the population compared to young people.

Reasons

The main reasons for an ageing population include:
- A lower death rate.
- Increased life expectancy.
- A lower infant mortality rate.
- A lower fertility rate.

Positive consequences

Older people are fitter, healthier and more independent than they were in the past.
Older people are essentially younger than they once were and are able to enjoy life and continue to contribute to society for longer.

Financial contributions

The legal abolition of the retirement age in 2011, means that older people can continue working for longer, contributing to the economy well beyond the former retirement age of 65.

Community

As people age, they may be more likely to involve themselves in charitable and community projects once they retire, reinforcing social cohesion and community involvement.

Crime

Older people are statistically less likely to commit crime, so an ageing population is likely to lead to a fall in crime rates.

Negative Consequences of an Ageing Population

The term ‘ageing population’ relates to the increase in the average age of the population and a greater proportion of older people in the population compared to young people.

Financial strain

Increase in the dependency ratio and possible future increases in taxes in order to support an ageing population.
- Around half of the state welfare budget is allocated to pensions, so there is the possibility that other services will need to be cut or scaled back.

Living standards

Marxists might argue that an ageing population will lead to higher levels of poverty and lower standards of living.
The labour market will suffer a loss of skills and experiences which have built up over a lifetime.

Loneliness

There is likely to be an increase in pensioner one-person households, especially amongst women who live longer.
This in turn could lead to a greater dependency on their children and an increase is loneliness and feelings of isolation.

NHS

An ageing population will mean more ill-health and disability and, consequently, greater pressure in the NHS and other support services.

Housing

Younger people might find it more difficult to find affordable housing, as much of it will be occupied by the elderly, leading to housing shortages.

The UK's Ageing Population

The UK has an ageing population like the majority of other Western countries. The average age is increasing while falling birth rates mean that there are fewer younger people within the population.

Over 65s in the UK

Projected figures show that by 2050, one in four people will be aged 65 years and over in the U.K.
The over 65s is the fastest growing age category (ONS, 2019).
This change in demographics can be attributed to declining fertility and mortality rates.

Under 16-year-olds

Conversely, projections suggest that by 2038, the percentage of under 16-year-olds is expected to fall to 17.4%.

Challenges for policy makers

The ageing population raises challenging questions for social policy makers who have to adapt to provide adequate support.
In addition, the burden of care will increase as a result of the ageing population.