UK Ageing Population

Question 1

Why do we have an ageing population?

Answer 1

Low death rates and low birth rates

Question 2

What factors have reduced the death rate?

Answer 2

• Improved health care
• New drugs and vaccines
• Improved standards of hygiene
• Better diet

Question 3

What factors have reduced the birth rate?

Answer 3

• Women have careers
• People are marrying later
• Children are expensive
• People are more materialistic

Question 4

By 2041, what percentage of the UK population could be over 65?

Answer 4

25%

Question 5

What happened to women’s life expectancy between 1980 and 2006?

Answer 5

Rose 2.6 years

Question 6

What is the current life expectancy for men?

Answer 6

77.2

Question 7

Why is the government struggling to pay the state pension?

Answer 7

Not enough people paying into it.

Question 8

What will the retirement age be in 2046?

Answer 8

68

Question 9

Why is an increase in the number of EU immigrants a solution to the problems of ageing populations?

Answer 9

They are young and pay tax

Question 10

What is family tax credit?

Answer 10

Money to help women back into work

Question 11

Why would private pensions help?

Answer 11

People won’t have to rely on state pensions

Question 12

What are the main issues with ageing populations?

Answer 12

• Health care
• Social services
• The pensions crisis

Question 13

What are the impacts of an ageing population on health care?

Answer 13

• Demand increase as more illness occurs in old age.
• The elderly visit their doctor more.
• More hospital appointments and they spend more time in hospital.
• Government must find more money to support older people, using higher taxation.

Question 14

What are the impacts of an ageing population on social services?

Answer 14

• Elderly people need other services like nursing homes.
• They may also need day care centres and carers.
• These special needs put financial pressure on a country.

Question 15

What are the impacts of an ageing population on pensions?

Answer 15

• In wealthier countries, people expect to be able to retire from work and have a pension (an income) for the rest of their lives.
• There are more elderly people and less people working, so taxes must be increased to foot the bill.
• The state pension began in 1908 when male life expectancy was 67 and retirement age was 65.
• The average person would therefore receive their pension for only 2 years.
• Today, the situation is very different. State pension still starts as 65 but life expectancy in 80!!

Question 16

What strategies have the UK used to tried to increase the birth rate?

Answer 16

• Child benefit but only to those earning less than £50,000 per couple.
• Family tax credit for low income families.
• Sure Start nurseries. Government subsidises so cheaper than private nurseries.
• Paternity leave. Two weeks for fathers.
• Increased maternity leave.
• Free nursery sessions for children over 3 (3 free sessions).
• More flexible working hours encouraged by the government.
• Women are not to be discriminated against at work for having children.
• Wrap around care at school (8am-6pm) encourages women to work and have more children.

Question 17

What are really the only solutions to the problems of an ageing population?

Answer 17

• Increase taxes
• Increase retirement age (currently 66)
• Means test pensions
• Encourage migration (to work with the elderly and to increase the working population)
• Increase the number of homes for the elderly