(2020 estimate, published 2021)
The charts below show the most recent official data on the UK population. It contains data on the UK population by age.
Future population estimate | How many over 70s in UK | UK regional population
Ageing population | Migration, births and deaths
UK population 1993-2020 (millions)
Source: ONS
There are 9,153,257 over 70s in the UK, according to ONS data (2020 midpoint, published June 2021).
What percentage of the UK population is aged over 70?
13.6% of the UK population is aged over 70. However, the over 70s population of the UK is not spread evenly. Different regions have different proportions.
Number of over 70s in UK regions
Wales has the largest proportion of over people aged over 70 at 15.4%, whilst Northern Ireland the smallest at 12.1%. In England, 13.5% are aged over 70. In Scotland, 13.8% of the population is aged over 70.
The charts below show these proportions as well as the actual numbers.
Number of over 70s in England
Number of over 70s in Wales
Number of over 70s in Scotland
Number of over 70s in Northern Ireland
Number over 70s in UK by local authority area
The charts below show the 15 UK areas (by local authority, at district/unitary level) that have the highest and lowest proportions of over 70s. All figures shown are in percent.
London boroughs occupy 14 out of the lowest 15 local authorities. Those areas with the largest proportion of over 70s are in more rural areas.
Highest percentage of over 70s
Lowest percentage of over 70s
Source: ONS 2020 midpoint estimates (published June 2021)
How will the UK's population grow in the future? The below chart uses 2014 as a base year and projects forward assuming a number of different scenarios.
As you can see above, the actual current UK population is similar to the blue and green lines.
England Population
England's population has risen by around 7 million since 1991, with greater increases during the 2000s.
Wales population
Wales's population growth has accelerated, but is still just around 10,000 each year.
Scotland population
The population of Scotland fell during the late 90s and early 00s, but has risen quickly since.
Northern Ireland population
Northern Ireland's population rose more quickly during the recession. Were expats returning home?
UK population by age
The chart below shows the UK population of those aged 18+ over time.
UK Population pyramid: age breakdown
The population pyramid below shows the age breakdown of different UK regions and local authorities, from 1996 to 2036.
UK population aged 65 and over, aged 85 and over and the old age dependency ratio by local authority, 1996 to 2036
The interactive below comes via the ONS. It shows the number of over 65s, over 85s, and the old age dependency ratio for all UK local authorities.
Life expectancy in the UK has increased steadily over previous decades. The UK has more older people and they are staying in work longer. The following series of charts show how the population is changing.
Estimated population of the very old
This chart shows the number of people aged 90 or over per 100,000 of the UK population. In 2014, there were over half a million people aged 90 and over in the UK. There is a significant gender gap amongst the very old: for every 100 men aged 90 and over, there were 249 women. The number of centenarians have risen by 72% over the past ten years and was 14,450 in 2014.
Female to male ratio (aged 90 and over)
This chart shows the number of women aged 90 and over for every 100 men of those ages, from 1990 to 2014. The ratio peaked in the late 1980s: Spanish flu and WW1 had a disproportionate impact on men, killing those who would otherwise have been 90 or over. The downward trend since then is due to greater improvements in male mortality relative to female mortality.
Estimates of number of centenarians (people aged 100+)
Over the last 30 years, the number of centenarians has increased massively. The ratio of female centenarians to male has started to fall in recent years due to improvements in male mortality. In 2002, there were over 8 female centenarians for every 1 male; by 2014, there were around 5.5.
How has immigration affected the UK population? Is it behind the increase in growth, or are changes to the birth and rates rates the real cause?
UK Long Term migration
This chart shows immigration to the UK from the EU and non-EU countries immigration to the UK since 2006. Net migration is the total of both these figures, minus outflows. Figures shown are in thousands, and data is for the 12 months prior to December in any given year.
UK total fertility rate
The fertility rate fell during the 90s, before rising again during the 00s. Some suggest that EU immigration is linked to the rise in fertility as eastern European migrants have tended to be younger and ready to start families.
Death rate (england and wales)
This chart shows the ASMRs (Age Standardised Mortality Rates for England and Wales from 2001 to 2015. ASMRs are a better way to assess mortality rather than simple numbers as they take into account population size, age structure and age distribution. The long term trend is an improvement in mortality.