The demographic time bomb is about to hit East Devon, according to the Herald:
Rising age of East Devon residents will be one of the highest in the UK
The aging population in East Devon means that there will be one pensioner for every two working-aged residents by 2026.
New figures show that the district will have one of the highest ratios of retirement-age residents in England. According to the main population projections done by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) there are currently 43,082 people of pension age in East Devon and 77,786 of working age.
Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK, said: “Many will be surprised by how much older people contribute to society including a great deal of knowledge, skill and energy. Whether they are volunteers, informal carers or paid employees, many are redefining what it means to be ‘an older person’.
“Our creaking social care system has been chronically underfunded for years and will simply not be able to cope with the extra demand that an ageing population will bring unless substantial funding is found.
“We also need to create age friendly communities that offer a good quality of life across the generations, by designing environments that are safe and pleasant to live in, with good local facilities and open spaces.
“If we can get this right it will help to sustain the health, well-being and quality of life for everyone, regardless of age.”
Rising age of East Devon residents will be one of the highest in the UK
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