The ageing population

The proportion of the population over 65 is rising, and as older people account for the majority of services being used, there will be greater demand for health and social care services.

The demographic shape of the population is changing, as the proportion of the population over 65 grows. The ageing population in the UK arises out of many ideas, including the post-Second World War baby boom, the 1960s baby boom, increasing life expectancy, decreasing mortality rate and decreasing birth rate. Many of these ideas are a testament to health and social care improvements over recent decades. However, the ageing population also represents an increase in the overall burden of care.

The UK population is set to increase from 62.3 million in 2010 to 73.2 million by 2035. Of this, those over 65 will increase from 16.6 per cent of the population to 23.2 per cent, while people over 80 represent the fastest growth, going from 4.7 per cent in 2010 to a projected 8 per cent of the total population by 2035. This is important, as the main users of health and social care are older people: those over 65 account for over 60 per cent of total bed days in hospitals, over 75 per cent of the receivers of residential and nursing accommodation, and over 80 per cent of the receivers of community-based home care.

As the proportion of older people grows, so too do demands on health and social care services. This is compounded by the fact that while life expectancy and healthy-life expectancy have increased, the latter has increased slower than the former, resulting in an overall increase in the number of years people spend in ill health. There are also widening geographical inequalities, as people in more deprived areas experience greater prevalence of chronic and multiple morbidities.

Sources or references

• Interviews with healthcare professionals as part of the CfWI’s Medical and Dental Student Intakes project, 2012 Office for National Statistics, 2011, 2010-based National Population Projections
• Busse Reinhard et al. 2010, Tackling chronic diseases in Europe: strategies, interventions and challenges
• The Oxford Institue of Population Ageing
• Department of Health, 2001, The Expert Patient: A New Approach to Chronic Disease Management for the 21st Century
• Ireland Department of Health & Children, 2008, Tackling Chronic Diseases: A Policy Framework for the Management of Chronic Diseases
• Cracknell, R. (2010) The Ageing Population. Key Ideas for the New Parliament 2010 House of Commons Library Research

Some of the information in this section is provided by stakeholders and expert groups, and does not necessarily represent the views of the CfWI.