The UK Ageing Population
Attempts to manage population change to achieve sustainable development
The UK – Ageing Population
In the UK today (2012) there are 10,000 people aged 100 or over. By 2050 there will be 275,000. By 2030, people over 50 will comprise almost a third of the workforce and almost half the adult population.
Strategies / Description / Advantages / DisadvantagesIncrease pensionable age and reduce pension paid / There is now no automatic retirement age in UK. Can claim state pension from 66 (has risen from 60, to 65 and will rise to 68 in near future)
Automatic enrolment in pension schemes introduced in October 2012 / People claim pensions for a shorter period of time so costs government less
More people have a company pension, reducing reliance on state pensions.
People given no choice and so have less money in their pay packet - may be unpopular with lower wage earners in particular / People work longer – may reduce job opportunities for younger people.
Not practical to work for longer in the most physically demanding jobs.
Individuals may not want to work for longer
Allow immigration / UK is one of the 27 members of the EU which allows freedom of movement between member states
EU migration accounted for 27% of total UK net immigration in 2010, a majority of which came from the eastern European states that joined the EU in 2004. / Often hard-working and willing to work for lower wages and do the jobs that are least desirable by our own workers. (You add detail from your migration case study!) / Govt now under pressure to reduce migration into UK political pressure as opposition parties claims that that EU immigration can increase competition at the low-skill end of the labour market, driving down wages and leaving younger workers struggling to find work.
Claims that migrants are a drain on the welfare state (although evidence for this is lacking)
Increasing the workforce / UK government substantially increased financial help for (low-income) families in the UK from 1998to 2002 (and beyond)
Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC
Generosity of means-tested benefits for non-working families increased
Small rise in child benefit
Government spending per child rose by 50% (in real terms) between 1999 – 2003
More generous maternity leave and pay
Promotion of flexible working
Wider provision of childcare and early years education / Evidence suggests that there has been a 10% increase in births amongst families who can claim WFTC – although this wasn’t government’s intention it helps to reduce risk of a regressive population.
More flexibility for women to work and have a family
More women in the workforce to contribute to tax base. / Economic incentives cost the government money and alongside supporting pensions this is possibly unsustainable.
These strategies are not directly intended to increase birth rates – govt could not enforce a pronatalist policy in our democratic society.