How has the age structure of the population changed and what are

the consequences of this

Questions

• Why has the proportion of the population who are elderly changed?

• What effect might a rising population of elderly people have on society?

• What changes could the rise bring?• What opinions do the perspectives have

on this? e.g. Functionalists, Marxists.• What variations are there in terms of

class, gender and ethnicity?

Information

Declining rates of fertility and longer life expectancy mean that by 2028 20% of the UK population will be elderly people. If the amount of elderly people increased there would be a bigger strain on younger tax payers as they would be required to pay higher taxes to pay the elderly peoples benefits. There may be insufficient money to fund state pensions unless dramatic changes are made to the pension system.

A feminist would say that more elderly people would put a strain on the women of the households as its generally the women who do the caring. Functionalists and the New Right would say the more elderly people in households would be good for the youth as for example a grandparent could replace a father making a nuclear family of sorts. A Marxist would say that it was evidence of a capitalist society ‘dumping’ the elderly with low pensions and benefits. A male upper class person would have a better retirement as their saving would be greater and men usually get higher up the promotion ladder than women.

Extension questions

• How could more elderly people help save families money?