ageing population

• Age of UK population


  • 85+
  • 75.84
  • 16+
• The age of the UK population is getting older
• In 1966, 0.4% of the population was 85+, 2.0% was 75-84, and 13.6% was 16+
• In 2016, 1.6% of the population was 85+, 3.8% was 75-84, and 15.4% was 16+
• In 2066 (estimated), 5.1% of the population will be 85+, 7.2% will be 75-84, and 13.2% will be 16+
• Life expectancy (ONS evidence 2020)


  • Males - 79.0 years
  • Females - 82.9 years
• The gap between male and female life expectancy is narrowing
• Regional variations in life expectancy (years)

  • England: Male 79.3, Female 83.1
  • Scotland: Male 76.8, Female 81.0
  • Wales: Male 78.3, Female 82.1
  • Northern Ireland: Male 78.7, Female 82.4
• Traditionally, factors affecting lower life expectancy in Scotland


  • Heavy industries, large working class
  • Cultural issues - alcohol, smoking, recreational drugs - higher usage
• Effects of an ageing population


  • Work
  • Health
  • Housing
  • Economy
• Positives/benefits of an older population


  • More experienced
  • Reliable
  • Punctual
  • Flexible working hours
  • Looking after grandchildren
  • Voluntary help/charities
  • Organise charities and pressure groups
• Negatives/Drawbacks of an older population


  • Slow to adapt to new ideas/technology
  • Wages are higher
  • Physically less strong
  • Old age leads to illness and disease
  • Cost of doctors/prescriptions/hospitalisations/transplants/replacements
  • Care homes - leads to mental illness, loneliness
  • Shortage of old peoples homes - older people living in big houses. Therefore, stopping younger people
• Ageing Population


  The Dependent ratio is the working population vs the non-working population
• Non-working population


  • Too young to work & cost of education
  • Elderly - pensions & healthcare
• The working population brings in revenue to the government through income tax
• The non-working population costs the government expenditure
• In 1900, the death rate was 19. It halved by 2012 to 8.9.
• The death rate began to fall from about 1870 and continued until 1930. It rose slightly during the 1930s and 1940s - depression and World War 2 - declined since the 1950s.
• Causes of changes in death rate


  • Fall in number of deaths from infectious disease: diphtheria, measles, smallpox, typhoid and above all tuberculosis
  • Replaced by heart disease and cancers
• Improved nutrition


  Accounted for up to half the reduction in death rates, particularly important in reducing the number of deaths from TB
• Criticism of the improved nutrition argument: does not explain why females who receive a smaller share of family food supply lived longer than males, and fails to explain why deaths from some infectious diseases such as measles and infant diarrhoea, actually rose at a time of improving nutrition
• Obesity levels have increased and this may lead to heart disease, respiratory disease and cancer
• Medical Improvements


  • Introduction of antibiotics (after the second world war, to prevent infection)
  • Immunisation (1880s onwards)
  • Blood transfusion
  • Improved maternity services
  • Setting up of the NHS in 1948
• Smoking and diet


  The largest decline in death rates has come from the reduction of people smoking. However, in the 21st century obesity has replaced smoking as the new lifestyle epidemic.
• Public health measures


  • Healthier housing
  • Purer drinking water
  • Laws to combat the adulteration of food and drink
  • Pasteurisation of milk
  • Improved sewage disposal methods
  • Clean Air Acts - reduced air pollution
• Other social changes


  • Decline of dangerous manual occupations such as mining
  • Smaller families reduced the rate of transmission of infection
  • Greater public knowledge of the cause of illness
  • Lifestyle changes- reduction of men who smoke
  • Higher incomes
• Non-EU migration is increasing
• Governments want to decrease migration
• The highest number of visas are for students
• Differences in migration patterns


  • Asian - extended families, method of marriages arranged/middle
  • Black - more single parents & divorces
• Migration leads to an increase of younger population and birth rate among migrants
• Effects of changing demographics


  • Not provided