Release: Ageing in the UK Datasets, 2011 Pension Act and 2012 (N.I) Pension Act Update

These data tables underlie the ‘Ageing in the UK’ interactive mapping tool. Using the tool helps bring these data alive, allowing you to analyse the age structure of the population at the local area level more easily. You can see how the population has aged over time and is projected to continue to age by selecting from a list of indicators of population ageing, such as median age, and animating the map. It is also possible to export jpegs of the maps you produce.

The indicators have been calculated using population estimates 1992 to 2010 and 2008-based population projections for local and unitary authorities in England and Wales, council areas in Scotland and local government district areas in Northern Ireland and also the UK as a whole.

2010 based sub-national population projections (SNPP) for England were published by ONS on 21st March 2012. Sub-national population projections for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are produced by the devolved administrations. National Records of Scotland (NRS) published 2010 based SNPP for Scotland on the 29th February 2012. However, 2010 based SNPP are not available for Northern Ireland or Wales. It is therefore not possible to update the ‘Ageing in the UK’ mapping tool and tables on a consistent basis at this time. The figures do not incorporate the 2011 Census results published for England and Wales and Northern Ireland only on the 16th July 2012.

The ‘ Ageing in the UK’ interactive mapping tool is available through the ONS website. Please note that you may need adobe Flash Player to use the map and to export and save jpegs of static maps. These can be downloaded and installed free of charge.

State Pension Age legislation:

State Pension Age (SPA): 'The qualifying age for claiming a state pension in the UK'.

The Pensions Act (Northern Ireland) 2012 brings the timetable for increases to SPA in Northern Ireland in line with the rest of the UK. Under this Act and the 2011 Pensions Act (GB) women's State Pension Age will increase at a faster rate than originally planned from April 2016 to equalise with men’s at 65 by November 2018. Between December 2018 and October 2020, men and women's State Pension ages will be increased from 65 to 66.

The figures relating to SPA in the 'Ageing in the UK' datasets which underlie the 'Ageing in the UK' mapping tool take account of the changes to SPA under these Acts. The previous update published in January 2012 incorporated the future changes in SPA in England, Wales and Scotland. This August 2012 update takes into account the future changes in SPA in Northern Ireland in the Pensions Act (Northern Ireland) 2012, so only the figures for the government districts in Northern Ireland and the UK as a whole have changed.

Under current law SPA will already increase to 67 between 2034 and 2036 and 68 between 2044 and 2046.

However, the government announced on 29 November 2011 that SPA will now increase to 67 between 2026 and 2028. This change is not yet law and will require the approval of Parliament.