UK elderly population at record high as more men live to very old age

The number of men in the UK living to a very old age is increasing faster than the rate for women, helping to push the elderly population to a new record high, figures show.

Some 210,520 males were estimated to be aged 90 or over in 2024, more than double the number two decades earlier in 2004, which was 97,570.

By contrast, the number of females rose by only a third during this period, from 309,300 in 2004 to 414,720 in 2024.

It means that while the majority of the UK’s elderly population continue to be women, the gender balance has shifted over time.

Men made up 24% of those aged 90 and over in 2004 – but by 2024 this had climbed to 33.7%.

A similar shift is under way among the UK’s centenarians.

Males accounted for 10.9% of people aged 100 and over in 2004, or around one in nine.

By 2024, this had risen to 18.4%: nearly one in five.

The latest estimates for elderly people have been published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Changes in the gender balance of the UK’s older population are “largely explained by improvements in life expectancy and historic birth patterns”, the ONS said.

“Life expectancy is higher for women, but life expectancy for men has increased faster than that for women, so the gap is narrowing.

“This has led to the number of older men growing faster than the number of older women.”

The figures come as finance experts highlighted the challenges of people living for longer, such as building up enough pension savings to last throughout retirement.

Some commentators have also raised questions around the sustainability of the triple lock, used to uprate the state pension.

Under the triple lock guarantee, the state pension rises by earnings growth, inflation, or 2.5%, whichever is higher.

The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation figure to be released on Wednesday is expected to be below the recently-released figure for average earnings growth, meaning that the state pension is likely to rise by 4.8% next April.

Helen Morrissey, head of retirement analysis, Hargreaves Lansdown said: “First and foremost, increasing numbers of pensioners claiming state pensions for longer time periods are pushing up the state pension bill.

“It’s an issue front and centre of government, with a review into state pension age ongoing.

“Potential options to mitigate the bill could include reform of the triple lock mechanism used to increase the state pension every year.

“We will also likely see further discussion on whether the timetable for state pension age rises needs to accelerate even further.”

She said the prospect of people living into their 90s and beyond “also has massive implications for our own pension saving”.

Ms Morrissey continued: “If you were hoping to retire at age 65 then you need to prepare for the prospect of generating an income that could last 35 years or more.

“It’s a challenging idea but starting early is key – the longer you save, the more time you have for your money to grow. Taking small actions, such as boosting your contributions every time you get a pay rise or new job, can make a huge difference.

“You should also make sure you are getting the most from your employer’s contributions. If they are willing to offer an employer match, whereby they increase their contribution if you boost yours, then this can really power up your pension saving.”

The ONS figures show the total population of people in the UK aged 90 and above has jumped by more than a half in the past two decades, climbing from 406,870 in 2004 to a record 625,240 in 2024.

At the same time, the number of centenarians has doubled, from 8,330 in 2004 to 16,650 last year, again, a record high.

The population aged 100 and over rose sharply in both 2020 and 2021, reflecting the spike in babies born in the years immediately after the end of the First World War in 1918.

But while the number of births declined in the years following the post-war “baby boom”, the UK’s centenarian population is continuing to grow.

The ongoing increase is “largely because of past improvements in mortality, going back many decades, with more people surviving to older ages”, ONS statistician Kerry Gadsdon said.

Factors driving this trend include “improvements in living standards and public health, along with advances in medical treatments”.

There were 24.0 centenarians per 100,000 people in the UK in 2024, up from 13.9 per 100,000 in 2004.

The rate varies across the country, with Wales having the highest figure last year, at 25.9 centenarians per 100,000 people, followed by England (24.7), Scotland (18.4) and Northern Ireland (15.3).

The lower figure for Northern Ireland is explained by higher fertility rates causing a younger population, rather than differences in life expectancy, the ONS said.

Ahead of National Pension Tracing Day on Sunday October 26, Helen Morrissey of Hargreaves Lansdown highlighted the importance of tracking down lost pensions.

She also noted that another knock-on effect of living for longer is the eroding impact of rising living costs on savings.

Ms Morrissey said: “This can nibble away at your purchasing power over time and mean that what was once a decent retirement income becomes very stretched.”

She said retirees looking for a guaranteed income through an annuity may want to consider whether they should opt for an inflation-linked one.

And pensioners drawing income from their pots “will need to ensure that they don’t take out too much income too early and leave themselves stretched later on,” she said.

Heidi Karjalainen, senior research economist at the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), said: “Spending on the state pension is expected to rise by around £80 billion in today’s terms by the 2070s.

“More than half of this increase is projected to come from the triple lock, but because the triple lock ratchets up the value of the state pension in a very unpredictable way, that figure could actually be much higher.

“Maintaining the triple lock over the long term will have to mean either higher taxes and/or lower spending elsewhere. And this spending pressure would, if left unchecked, come on top of increasing pressure for more spending on health and social care.”

Stephen Lowe, group communications director at retirement specialist Just Group, said: “An ageing population will put pressure on the state as the cost of providing care and benefits like the state pension continues to rise.

“Without significant changes to taxation or the care and benefits systems, it means that those working will likely need to shoulder more of the fiscal burden in the coming years.

“Even if we are young today, most of us hope to be fortunate enough to live a long life. Financial planning – either for an individual or as a couple – can help everyone gain a clear understanding of how their preparations for later life are shaping up.”