Demography - Ageing Population

Question 1

What’s happening to the average age in the UK?

Answer 1

Rising =

1971 = ave. 34 years.

Now = 40.

2031 = 42.6.

Question 2

What happened to the number of over-65s and under-15s in 2014?

Answer 2

The number was equal, the first time in history.

Question 3

What are the reasons for the ageing population?

Answer 3

1). Increasing life expectancy =

people are living longer.

2). Low infant mortality rate =

babies no longer die in large numbers.

3). Declining fertility =

fewer young people are being born.

Question 4

What are the impacts of the ageing population?

Answer 4

1) . Public services.
2) . More one-person pensioner households.
3) . The rising dependency ratio.
4) . Ageism.

Question 5

What impact has the ageing population had on public services?

Answer 5

Older people consume more health and social care services.

Question 6

What impact has the ageing population had on households?

Answer 6

1/7 households are one-person pensioners.

Question 7

What impact has the ageing population had on the dependency ratio?

Answer 7

As the number of retired increases, so does the dependency ratio =

• more non-working old, dependent on the working (tax for pensions and healthcare).

Question 8

What has happened to the views of old people in society?

Answer 8

(Age is socially constructed) seen as a burden and incompetent =

• opposite of traditional views where the old had a high status, not low.

Question 9

What does Hirsch (2005) argue about the policy implications of the ageing population?

Answer 9

We need new policies to finance for a longer old age =

• e.g. paying more taxes, raising retirement age.