The Office for National Statistics has today published an analysis of the profile of the older population living in England and Wales, based on the 2021 Census findings.

Commenting on the findings, David Sinclair, Chief Executive of the International Longevity Centre UK, said:

“Not only are people in England and Wales living longer than they did ten years ago, they are increasingly diverse in terms of their ethnicity, their religious beliefs, their sexuality and their living arrangements”.

“The increase in number of older divorcees is not surprising. A decade ago we were projecting that by 2037 almost 1 in every 10 people experiencing divorce will be aged over 60”.

“As we age we continue to contribute to society. We need to focus public policy on how we maximise those contributions. In 2021 there were almost 1.2 million unpaid carers aged 65 years and over in England and Wales, with almost half of these providing more than 50 hours of unpaid care a week.  ILC research reveals that across the EU and Turkey, older people’s caring and volunteering contributes more to the economy than what those countries spend on defense”.

“It’s good news that most older people in England and Wales reported being in good or fair health. But the reality is, too many of us find that ill health stops us doing what we want to as we get older.  A healthier older population works for longer, provides more care volunteers more and indeed spends more”.

“Our research shows that by 2040, 63p in every pound in the UK economy will be spent by older households. There is an economic as well as a social return to be gained from investing in health across our lives.”

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