Report

Ageing in the fast and slow lane

This report from UK think tank the Resolution Foundation examines geographic gaps in ageing across the country.

All developed countries are ageing, and the UK is no different. The combination of rising life expectancy, a large cohort of baby boomers moving into retirement and falling birth rates means the country’s median age rose from 33.9 years in 1974 to 40.7 years in 2022.

These changes have drawn a significant amount of national political attention, but the spatial aspect of population ageing has largely been overlooked.

So in this briefing note we examine the geography of ageing across the country, focusing on the scale of age differences between areas, how these gaps have evolved over the 21st century, what drives them, and their implications for public services.