21st Century Challenges

Fewer Britons in work due to ageing population and emigration rather than migrants, says report

Demographic changes including an ageing population and rising emigration from Britain lie behind the fall in the number of UK-born people in work, rather than the arrival of new migrants, according to research published yesterday.

Britain’s ageing population ‘as big a threat as climate change’

Britain's ageing population poses as big a threat to the country as climate change, a Government minister has warned.

Facing up to the challenges of an ageing population

The insurance industry has it all to play for as baby boomers change their investment portfolio in readiness for retirement

Britain becomes a nation of pensioners

For the first time, Britain's over-65s outnumber all the children under 16

EU judges back UK retirement age

The UK's compulsory retirement age of 65 is not in breach of EU legislation, according to a ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ).

Britain’s ageing population

A 60 second guide to Britain's ageing population

Britain’s ageing population

Read an introduction to the challenges and benefits of Britain's ageing population.

The end of final-salary pensions?

2009 will see a number of large organisations making a fundamental change to their company pensions - cancelling final salary schemes for existing members.

Retirement gap years: mum’s gone to India

The “grey gap year” market is booming. Some 200,000 Britons of retirement age embark on long-haul trips every year, spending an average £5,000 per trip.

It’s better to keep older people in work

Forcing people to retire is at odds with a positive vision for our ageing society

Ageing’s silver lining

Singapore's location in Asia, the world's fastest-ageing region, places it in a prime spot to seize the economic and social opportunities that come with ageing

George Magnus: Britain is growing old and we’re not ready

Baby-boomers pose an economic threat, George Magnus says. Will the Government take heed?

Baby-boom workers become pension aristocrats

Workers over 50 in white collar, management roles have the most valuable pensions, paying two-thirds of their final salary

Britain’s population time-bomb? The challenges and opportunities of an ageing society

US pensioners mentally ‘10 years younger’ than those in England

Researchers found that Americans had better memories, were quicker witted and were generally smarter than their English counterparts. And the older the pensioner, the greater the difference, claimed researchers.

The end of retirement

Demography means virtually all of us will have to work longer. That need not be a bad thing

End of retirement age signal

The government has brought forward by a year a review of the default retirement age of 65.

Social care green paper: reaction in quotes

The government has set out its blueprint for reforming care for older and disabled people. Key figures in the social care sector give their response

Ageing Britain: number of 85-year-olds will more than double

Official population projections show the number of people aged 85 will rise from 1.3 million last year to 3.3 million by 2033. The Office for National Statistics figures also show that that on current trends, there will be soon be fewer than three people of working age to each pensioner.