An Ageing Population - What Impact Will This Have?

The population is getting older! Within 25 years, half of our population will be over 50. We are living longer and the proportion of older people within the population is increasing. One of the impacts of this demographic change is that more of us will develop some kind of disability within our lifetime and more of us can expect to care for someone with a limiting illness or disability.

Life and health expectancy

In 2004:
- life expectancy for women was 81.0 years
- healthy life expectancy for women was 70.3 years
- life expectancy for men was 76.6 years
- healthy life expectancy for men was 68.0 years

The difference between life expectancy and health expectancy can be regarded as an estimate of the number of years a person can expect to live in poor health, or with a limiting illness or disability.

As at 2004, the expected time men will live in poor health was 8.6 years. The expected time women will live in poor health was 10.7 years.

Number of carers increasing

A question about whether people provided unpaid care was included in the 2001 census for the first time. The results showed a considerable amount of unpaid care is being provided:
- there are 5.2 million carers in England and Wales
- more than 1 in 5 people aged 50-59 are providing some unpaid care
- over a million provide more than 50 hours of care a week
- more than half of the people providing more than 50 hours care are over 55
- many of these are not in good health themselves
- 3 out of 5 people will end up caring for someone who is chronically sick or disabled
- by 2037, the chances of someone aged between 30 and 54 being a carer for someone older will increase by nearly 90%

Changes in support

Many people want to stay in their own home when they get older, rather than move into a care home. Sheltered housing has become more popular, allowing people to maintain an independent lifestyle, with the reassurance that support is on hand if needed. However, the most significant changes are arising in ways to enable people to stay in their own home and the various options to support this are increasing.

If you are disabled:
- you can ask for your needs to be assessed, and
- you must be provided with services if they are needed

Councils are required to make arrangements provide certain services to individual chronically sick and disabled people, who are ordinarily resident in their area.

These services include:
- provision of practical assistance within the home
- provision of disability aids and equipment
- assistance with adaptations to the home
- provision of meals at home or elsewhere

Many local authorities are introducing 'individual (or personal) budgets'. These give you a financial amount for the help that you are entitled to. You can then take this as services, as a cash payment or as a mixture of the two.

If you are a carer:
- you can request a carer's assessment to see which services could support you
- you may be entitled to financial help

If you are a carer, you can ask the social services department in your local council for a carer's assessment, which means social services will look at your situation and see if you are entitled to any services that could make caring easier for you.

There is a range of benefits, tax credits and other financial support that you may be able to receive as a carer.

The future

We can expect to see many changes in our society as we become an older population. Many are beginning to take place already and if you need further advice or help, there is an increasing range of support available.

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