A ‘population boom’ of over-65s is piling pressure on adult care services, county councils have warned.
According to County Councils’ Network (CCN) analysis, for the first time in history, county and rural areas now have as many people aged over 65 as children and young people.
Latest census data showed that between 2011 and 2021 the number of people aged 65 and over grew by 1.1m (23.3%) in county areas while those aged 0-19 rose by just 72,000 (1.3%), meaning the number of new over-65s outnumbered children and young people by a ratio of 15 to one.
In contrast, the ratio of new over-65s to children and young people in towns and cities in the North and West Midlands was three to one and in London two to one.
CCN’s adult social care spokesman Martin Tett warned the ‘elderly population boom in county areas’ meant the quality and accessibility of care services ‘could be further worsened’ if the Government failed to provide more funding and did not change the distribution of money for its flagship adult social care reforms.
