UK- Ageing Population

Question 1

What are 2 reasons that have caused an ageing population in the UK?

Answer 1

Reduced birth rate

Increased life expectancy

Question 2

What has caused an increased life expectancy?

Answer 2

Improved medical care

Improved standard of living

Question 3

What has caused a reduced birth rate?

Answer 3

Use of contraception

Equality for women- want to focus on their careers

Question 4

By how much did the UK life expectancy rise between 1980 - 2006?

Answer 4

2. 6 years for women

6. 4 years for men

Question 5

Currently, what’s the life expectancy for a UK man?

Answer 5

77.2 years

Question 6

Currently, what’s the life expectancy for a UK woman?

Answer 6

81.5 years

Question 7

Problems: What is the average stay in hospital for a 75+ year old? (2005) What was it for the whole of the UK?

Answer 7

13 nights- 75+

8- whole of UK

Question 8

What’s the third reason for an ageing population in the UK?

Answer 8

Baby booms in the 1940’s- 1960’s (they are all retiring now)

Question 9

Problems: List 3 of the expenses the government now have due to pensionners

Answer 9

Their free bus passes
Their pensions (that need to be paid for longer, as they live longer)
Their medical care- diseases such as cancer and dimentia

Question 10

Problems: Why has the ageing population caused fewer children?

Answer 10

People can’t afford to raise children and pay for their elderly parents

Question 11

Problems: Why are the healthcare services stretched?

Answer 11

More elderly people need medical care

Question 12

Problems: What’s wrong with more people being unpaid carers for their parents?

Answer 12

Less leisure time

More stressed and worried

Question 13

Benefits: Name a holiday firm that benefits from the elderly going on holiday often

Answer 13

Shearings

Question 14

Benefits: Name a company that builds retirement properties

Answer 14

McCarthy and Stone

Question 15

Benefits: Name a company that installs mobility aids

Answer 15

Stannah

Question 16

Benefits: What is good about businesses designed for the elderly?

Answer 16

Employ lots of people

Question 17

Benefits: Why is it good that they babysit grandchildren?

Answer 17

Enables parents to work

Question 18

Benefits: Where do they volunteer?

Answer 18

Libraries

Question 19

Strategies: How can having immigrants help with the ageing population?

Answer 19

They work, paying taxes, and creating a larger working population

Question 20

Strategies: What percentage of immigrants that come to the UK are under 34?

Answer 20

80%

Question 21

Strategies: Why does raising the retirement age help?

Answer 21

Pay taxes for longer, and pay more into their pensions

Question 22

Strategies: What is the current retirement age, and what will it be by 2046?

Answer 22

65 now, 68 by 2046

Question 23

Strategies: Why are private pensions encouraged?

Answer 23

So people won’t be so dependent on the state pension

Question 24

Strategies: How are private pensions being encouraged?

Answer 24

Tax breaks are being given to those who have one

Question 25

Strategies: How does increasing taxes on the working population help?

Answer 25

More money going to the government, so more available to spend on the elderly