Reasons for the changes to the UK population pyramid
A graph which shows the age and gender structure of a population. are used to show the population structure of a country. They can change shape over time. 200 years ago the UK had a population pyramid shaped like a triangle with a wide base and a narrow tip - just like a Any country that is among the poorest in the world, based on per capita income. population pyramid today. Now, the UK's pyramid represents more of a beehive shape, demonstrating an ageing population.
This population structure is caused by a declining birth rate as well as increasing life expectancy.
Declining birth rate
- Women at work - there are now more women in work, which increases the age at which women try to have a baby. As a result, women only give birth to children for a relatively short period and so there are fewer births.
- Tertiary education - there are also now more women going to university and pursuing careers. They may either delay having children or decide not to have children at all.
- Education - sex and relationships education is compulsory in schools and so a greater number of people know how to control their own fertility and have fewer unplanned babies.
Increasing life expectancy
Development of universal free healthcare - the development of vaccinations and the National Health Service reduces deaths from diseases such as TB and measles. This increases the number of people living to 65 years and older.
Development of medical technology - the development of new drugs that treat cancer and other degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's has increased life expectancy.
Decrease in manual employment - many The primary sector involves extracting raw materials, rearing animals and growing crops. and A type of industry where raw materials are made into something. Often called 'manufacturing'. jobs such as coal mining and steel making were arduous and dangerous, which reduced The average number of years a person is expected to live depending on where they live.. The decline in the number of people in these jobs and the increase in Providing services - includes retail, tourism, education, health and banking. sector office-based jobs has increased life expectancy.
In recent years there have been significant changes to the UK population pyramid.
The main changes have been an increase in the number of children aged under ten years old, an increase in the number of older adults aged 45 to 55 and an increase in older people aged 90 or over.
Increase in children
This is partly due to the higher birth rates of migrants who have entered the country in recent years. Fertility rates amongst older women in the UK has also risen slightly. In 2021, the largest increase in fertility rates was among those aged 35 to 39 years.
Increase in older adults
There was an increase in net migration into the UK after 2004 when 10 new Eastern European countries joined the EU and gained the right to live and work in the UK. These young adults left countries such as Poland to seek work. Many of these migrants have permanently settled in the UK and aged to become older adults.
Increase in over 80s
Along with the factors associated with the growth of an ageing population, the increase in older people is also due medical advances. For example, new cures for diseases like lung and breast cancer have improved the life chances for some sufferers.
In 2020, the number of people living to 100 years or above in the UK increased by nearly one-fifth compared with 2019. This increase was driven by birth patterns in the early 1900s. The birth rate of the UK increased significantly between 1919 and 1920 because of the post-war baby boom at the end of World War One.