Population Expert Highlights Opportunities in Ageing Society and Calls for Policy Reforms
Population expert Prof Sarah Harper argues that concerns about an ageing society are overstated and that greater focus should be placed on the opportunities presented by a large cohort of healthy, active older adults.
With two-thirds of countries experiencing fertility rates below replacement level, ageing populations are becoming inevitable. Yet, Prof Harper highlights the potential gains in health and education among people aged 50 to 70 as key areas for societal advancement.
She emphasises the growth of the "silver economy" and stresses the importance of creating new ways of living and working to fully utilise the skills of older adults. This includes calls for retraining programs, flexible working arrangements, and a cultural shift in attitudes towards older workers.
Addressing inequalities in health and education is essential to enable broad contributions from older populations.
In the UK, population growth is currently driven by migration and ageing, with projections indicating that by 2072 about 27% of the population will be aged 65 or older. The future age structure is expected to resemble a skyscraper rather than a traditional pyramid.
Prof Harper also highlights that high-quality affordable childcare is crucial to unlocking the potential of both younger and older generations. Policies should support women who want children through access to good jobs, housing, and gender equality.
Regarding pensions, she proposes reforming the state pension system to link it to national insurance contributions rather than age, arguing this approach would be fairer and more sustainable as life expectancy after retirement continues to increase.
