2.9 Aging Populations

Population aging: According to, https://ageing-better.org.uk/ageing-population#:~:text=The%20UK's%20population%20is%20undergoing,%2C%2022%25%20of%20the%20population., "The UK's population is undergoing a massive age shift. There are over 11 million people aged 65 and in ten years' time this will have increased to 13 million people, 22% of the population." Population aging is determined by birth rates, death rates, and life expectancy. The birth rate in the UK is 10.79, the death rate is 9.07, and the life expectancy is 81.94 years. Using these factors you can further assess population aging in the UK. The reason the population in the UK is aging is because the life expectancy is improving while the birth rate and total fertility rate are declining. The top graph on the left states that there will be a 61% increase in the number of people over 65 in the UK (from the time the graph was made which was not this year). The bottom graph on the left displays England's ageing population and how it will increase by 2030.

Political consequences of an aging population: Governments will need to respond to an aging population by developing pro-natalist policies; these policies usually come with extremely high costs. Another political consequence of an aging population is that there will be a voting majority voting for the interests of the elderly over the interests of everyone else. https://www.health.org.uk/publications/our-ageing-population states, "England's population is ageing. In the next 25 years, the number of people older than 85 will double to 2.6 million. An ageing population might lead to the presumption that there will be an increased need for health and social care services." The image to the left displays information about the aging population in the UK. According to the image, 20% of England's population will be over 65 by 2030.

Economic consequences of an aging population: The dependency ratio is put in an unhealthy balance. There would be a shortage of working-age individuals which can lead to a shrinking working class. https://www.economicshelp.org/blog/8950/society/impact-ageing-population-economy/ states, "An ageing population could lead to a shortage of workers and hence push up wages causing wage inflation. Alternatively, firms may have to respond by encouraging more people to enter the workforce, through offering flexible working practices." The graph below displays the aging population of the UK from 1976 to 2046 (projected).

Social consequences of an aging population: There are concerns about who will care for the aging population and the impact on families. The graph below displays the aging population in England and Wales and how much it has changed over the years. Many families in the UK have to care for their elderly relatives due to the aging population; they might even put them in retirement homes due to a lack of resources or time.