The world needs to do more to prepare for the impact of a rapidly ageing population.
How will Britain deal with an ageing population?
January 8, 2013
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Let’s grow old together and Live forever
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The UK population age structure has also been affected by economic factors; the cost of living and global conflict/connections have been the most significant. In terms of global connections, the causes of falling birth rates are sometimes due to external reasons to the UK. The global depression of the 1930's gave people a much lower real income; this meant that the cost of living rose and some British parents began to limit their family size, reducing the country's birth rate.
Problems
• More sheltered homing is needed (Old People's Home) which is usually paid for by the government which puts a lot of strain on the tax money.
• Public transport is also needed to be better as an ageing population usually cannot drive, so the local amenities will also need to be better. This is more cost for the government.
• As pensioners are not economically active, they are dependent on the active to bring money in to give to the government, having an ageing population means that the dependant to economically active ratio is very low.
Solutions
Dealing with ageing - the state pension age for females has already risen to be in line with males at 65 and both will rise to 67. There has been extra money set aside for care of the elderly, including things like the winter fuel allowance and free flu jabs for all elderly.
Dealing with low fertility rates - There are many pro natal policies in the UK designed to boost the fertility rate. These include child benefits (a weekly payment to people who have children), improved maternity leave for women and men, health in pregnancy grants and child trust funds (which are about to be phased out).
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