This statistic shows the distribution of elderly population (aged 65 and over) as a share of population in the United Kingdom (UK) from 1976 to 2046. Over this 70 year period the share of elderly people within the population of the UK is expected to increase by over ** percent, reaching **** percent of the forecast total population of 2046.

Indicators included have been derived from the published 2019 mid-year population estimates for the UK, England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. These are the number of persons and percentage of the population aged 65 years and over, 85 years and over, 0 to 15 years, 16 to 64 years, 16 years to State Pension age, State Pension age and over, median age and the Old Age Dependency Ratio (the number of people of State Pension age per 1000 of those aged 16 years to below State Pension age).

This dataset has been produced by the Ageing Analysis Team for inclusion in a subnational ageing tool, which was published in July 2020. The tool enables users to compare latest and projected measures of ageing for up to four different areas through selection on a map or from a drop-down menu.

This graph shows the resident population projection of elderly people in the United Kingdom from 2020 to 2050, by age group. There is expected to be an overall growth in the number of elderly people. It is expected that all age groups over the age of 60 are expected to increase in number; most substantially, those aged over 80 years.

Projected indicators included are derived from the published 2018-based subnational population projections for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland up to the year 2043. The indicators are the projected percentage of the population aged 65 years and over, 85 years and over, 0 to 15 years, 16 to 64 years, 16 years to State Pension age, State Pension age and over, median age and the Old Age Dependency Ratio (the number of people of State Pension age per 1000 of those aged 16 years to below State Pension age).

This dataset has been produced by the Ageing Analysis Team for inclusion in the subnational ageing tool, which was published on July 20, 2020 (see link in Related datasets). The tool is interactive, and users can compare latest and projected measures of ageing for up to four different areas through selection on a map or from a drop-down menu.

Note on data sources: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland independently publish subnational population projections and the data available here are a compilation of these datasets. The ONS publish national level data for the UK, England, Wales and England & Wales, which has been included. National level data for Scotland and Northern Ireland have been taken from their subnational population projections datasets.

This statistic shows the elderly population (ages 65 and over) as a percentage of the total population in the United Kingdom (UK) as forecasted from 2013 to 2060. The elderly share of the population is projected to increase over the 47 year period by *** percentage points.

Population of the very elderly (including centenarians) by gender, single year of age (90 to 104) and by age groups (90-99, 100+ and 105+) for the UK and England & Wales. Source agency: Office for National Statistics Designation: National Statistics Language: English Alternative title: 90+ Population Estimates

This statistic shows the elderly population development (aged 65 and over) in Germany from 1950 to 2060. Over this *** year period the number of elderly people is expected to increase to **** million by 2060.

Annual mid-year population estimates of those aged 90 years and over by sex, broken down by single year of age (90 to 104 years) and the 105 years and over age group.

There were almost 4.8 million people aged between 30 and 34 in the United Kingdom in 2024, making it the most populous age group in that year. Those aged between 35 and 39 years comprised the next most numerous age group in this year, at over 4.78 million people. Millennials overtake Boomers as biggest generation Post-war demographic trends, particularly the 'baby boom' phenomenon, have significantly influenced the current age distribution in the UK. The postwar peak of live births in 1947 resulted in the dominance of the Baby Boomer generation for several decades, until 2020 when Millennials became the largest generational cohort, surpassing the Boomers for the first time. The following year, the UK Boomer population was then overtaken by Generation X, the generation born between Boomers and Millennials. Generation Z, remained smaller than the three generations that preceded it until 2024 when there were more Gen Zers than Boomers. Aging UK population poses challenges The median age of the UK population is projected to reach 44.5 years by 2050, compared to 34.9 years in 1950. This aging trend is indicative of broader global demographic shifts, with the median age of people worldwide forecasted to increase from 23.6 years in 1950 to 41.9 years by 2100. How countries like the UK manage their aging populations will be one of the key challenges of the next few decades. It is likely the UK's struggling National Health Service (NHS) will come under even more pressure in the coming years. There are also tough economic questions, in particular as more people enter retirement age and the UK's working population gets smaller in relation to it.

These are the datasets underpinning the research reported in Tom Heritage 'The elderly population of England and Wales, 1851-1911: a comparative study of selected counties', PhD thesis, University of Southampton, 2019.

Figures presented show the movement of older people between local authorities and regions. Both indicators included in this dataset have been derived from the published 2019 internal migration dataset for England and Wales. The numbers presented are the net number of people aged 65 years and over and 85 years and over entering/ leaving the local authority or region in the 12-month period stated.

This dataset has been produced by the Ageing Analysis Team for inclusion in a subnational ageing tool, which was published in July 2020. The tool is interactive, and users are able to compare latest and projected measures of ageing for up to four different areas through selection on a map or from a drop-down menu.

Managing funding pressures in the face of high demand from a growing and ageing population, increasingly complex care needs, reduced central government funding to local authorities and rising care costs has been a challenge for Social Services for the Elderly and People with Disabilities. Nonetheless, revenue is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 4.0% to £8.9 billion over the five years through 2025-26. The UK population is getting older – in 2023, there were 11 million people aged over 65 in England, according to Age UK. At the same time, the number of people living with disabilities has crept upwards. These factors boost the need for social care services. In the two years through 2025-26, local councils and the government have made efforts to increase industry funding to support rising demand. The Disabled Facilities Grant has been increased to £711 million in 2025-26, supporting independent living. In 2025-26, local government will receive £5.7 billion through the Social Care Grant 2025-26, a rise of £680 million compared to 2024-25. Revenue is anticipated to grow by 1.5% in 2025-26, helped by more funding to support adult social care in the UK. Over the five years through 2030-31, revenue is forecast to climb at a compound annual rate of 2.9% to £10.3 billion. The industry will remain in high demand as the population ages. The government has committed to addressing challenges in adult social care to help meet growing demand, but after scrapping the delayed adult social care reforms, the new Labour government's plans haven't been finalised. Technological adoption will become more widespread, and digital care records will cut administrative tasks for staff, freeing up time to look after patients. However, conditions will become more complex, requiring the industry to adapt to help support the workforce and manage workload.

This dataset provides Census 2021 estimates that classify usual residents aged 65 years and over living in a care home in England and Wales. The estimates are as at Census Day, 21 March 2021.

In 2024, there were estimated to be 976,481 people who were aged 33 in the United Kingdom, the most of any age in this year. The two largest age groups during this year were 30-34, and 35-39, at 4.8 million and 4.78 million people respectively. There is also a noticeable spike of 673,831 people who were aged 77, which is due to the high number of births that followed the end of the Second World War. Over one million born in 1964 In post-war Britain, there have only been two years when the number of live births was over one million, in 1947 and in 1964. The number of births recorded in the years between these two years was consistently high as well, with 1955 having the fewest births in this period at 789,000. This meant that until relatively recently, Baby Boomers were the largest generational cohort in the UK. As of 2024, there were approximately 13.4 million Baby Boomers, compared with 14 million in Generation X, 15 million Millennials, and 13.6 million members of Gen Z. The youngest generation in the UK, Generation Alpha, numbered approximately 9.2 million in the same year. Median age to hit 44.5 years by 2050 The population of the United Kingdom is aging at a substantial rate, with the median age of the population expected to reach 44.5 years by 2050. By comparison, in 1950 the average age in the United Kingdom stood at 34.9 years. This phenomenon is not unique to the United Kingdom, with median age of people worldwide increasing from 23.6 years in 1950 to a forecasted 41.9 years by 2100. As of 2024, the region with the oldest median age in the UK was South West England, at 43.7 years, compared with 35.7 in London, the region with the youngest median age.

United Kingdom UK: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Old data was reported at 29.037 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 28.659 % for 2016. United Kingdom UK: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Old data is updated yearly, averaging 23.904 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 29.037 % in 2017 and a record low of 18.068 % in 1960. United Kingdom UK: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Old data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Age dependency ratio, old, is the ratio of older dependents--people older than 64--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Weighted average;

Graph and download economic data for Population ages 65 and above for the United Kingdom (SPPOP65UPTOZSGBR) from 1960 to 2024 about 65-years +, United Kingdom, and population.

Graph and download economic data for Age Dependency Ratio: Older Dependents to Working-Age Population for the United Kingdom (SPPOPDPNDOLGBR) from 1960 to 2024 about 64 years +, working-age, ratio, United Kingdom, and population.

About this dataset

Context

The dataset tabulates the data for the England, AR population pyramid, which represents the England population distribution across age and gender, using estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2018-2022 5-Year Estimates. It lists the male and female population for each age group, along with the total population for those age groups. Higher numbers at the bottom of the table suggest population growth, whereas higher numbers at the top indicate declining birth rates. Furthermore, the dataset can be utilized to understand the youth dependency ratio, old-age dependency ratio, total dependency ratio, and potential support ratio.

Key observations

• Youth dependency ratio, which is the number of children aged 0-14 per 100 persons aged 15-64, for England, AR, is 30.4.
• Old-age dependency ratio, which is the number of persons aged 65 or over per 100 persons aged 15-64, for England, AR, is 24.3.
• Total dependency ratio for England, AR is 54.7.
• Potential support ratio, which is the number of youth (working age population) per elderly, for England, AR is 4.1.

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2018-2022 5-Year Estimates.

Age groups:

• Under 5 years
• 5 to 9 years
• 10 to 14 years
• 15 to 19 years
• 20 to 24 years
• 25 to 29 years
• 30 to 34 years
• 35 to 39 years
• 40 to 44 years
• 45 to 49 years
• 50 to 54 years
• 55 to 59 years
• 60 to 64 years
• 65 to 69 years
• 70 to 74 years
• 75 to 79 years
• 80 to 84 years
• 85 years and over

Variables / Data Columns

• Age Group: This column displays the age group for the England population analysis. Total expected values are 18 and are define above in the age groups section.
• Population (Male): The male population in the England for the selected age group is shown in the following column.
• Population (Female): The female population in the England for the selected age group is shown in the following column.
• Total Population: The total population of the England for the selected age group is shown in the following column.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for England Population by Age. You can refer the same here

United Kingdom UK: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population data was reported at 56.810 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 56.175 % for 2016. United Kingdom UK: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population data is updated yearly, averaging 54.363 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 60.489 % in 1973 and a record low of 51.330 % in 2007. United Kingdom UK: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Age dependency ratio is the ratio of dependents--people younger than 15 or older than 64--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Weighted average; Relevance to gender indicator: this indicator implies the dependency burden that the working-age population bears in relation to children and the elderly. Many times single or widowed women who are the sole caregiver of a household have a high dependency ratio.