(Bloomberg) --

The population of England and Wales is aging, new census figures show, highlighting the political and economic strain facing the UK government.

The number of people living in the two countries rose 6.3% since 2011 to a record 59.6 million people, the Office for National Statistics said Tuesday. The portion of the population older than 65 rose to 18.6% from 16.4% over the decade.

The figures show a bulge of the working-age population nearing retirement, which will add to demand on the Treasury for pension benefits and health services over the next decade. Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government says it wants to cut taxes, a goal that over the longer term may be difficult to achieve as pressures on the public services grow.

In a sign of the political clout of older voters, Johnson last week announced a £10 billion boost for state pensions while demanding public-sector workers on the job now restrain demands for higher pay. 

The figures reflect the first findings of the census completed in March 2021. Other data will be published in the coming months, including the situation in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The ONS said more people than ever before were in the age group of 65 years and over.

More than a sixth of the population, or 11.1 million people, were were aged 65 years and over, up from 9.2 million in 2011. The number over 90 rose to 527,900 from 429,017.

Almost two-thirds of the population, or 37 million people, were aged 15 to 64 years, down slightly from the 65.9% proportion recorded in 2011. The proportion under age 15 fell to 17.4% from 17.6%.

Story Link: UK Says England and Wales Population Rose 6.3% Since 2011

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