The UK's changing population
Measuring Population
UK's Population Structure
The population of a country is measured by a survey called a census In tmot countries of the world, including the UK, a census is carried out every ten fear The most recent UK census took place on 27 March 2011
The UK census provides a valuable snapshot of the population and its characteristics, helping the government to plan funding and public services for the future. Figure 1 shows the population of the UK by country and Figure 2 shows the growth of the UK's population from 1901 and its projected population for 2021
The breakdown of a population by age and sex is called the population structure It is commonly illustrated by a diagram called a population
pyramid
• Bars are drawn to represent each five-year age band. • The length of each bar relates to the number of people of that age in
the population.
• Bars are drawn for both males and females
Figure 3 shows the most recent population pyramid for the UK based on the 2011 census. There is also an outline for 2001 to show how it has changed. Population pyramids can be used to see trends in the population, such as declining birth rates or increases in the number of elderly people. These trends provide useful information for the government in helping to plan for future education, housing employment and health care needs
Changes in population structure
Since 1900, the main trends in population have been . Decrease in the proportion of young people aged 0-54%. has decreased as infant mortality rates have declined and in numbers of women have chosen to follow careers
. Increase in the elderly population, with over 16 per cent of the Ue. population now aged 65 and over. This proportion is expected on e further. Improved health care, higher standards of living and bener lifestyles (especially non-smoking) have contributed to this treat
The divided bar graph (Figure 4) illustrates these changes
The Demographic Transition Model
The Demographic Transition Model is a graph showing the typical changes that take place in a country's population over time. Figure & shows the changes that have taken place in the UK since 700 Notice that there are three lines on the graph:
. Birth rate - the number of live births per 1000 of the population per year • Death rate - the number of deaths per 1000 of the population per year Total population - the total population of the country
Ageing Population in the UK
The difference between the birth rate and the death rate is called the natural increase. This is usually expressed as a percentage. Notice that the natural increase is shaded on the graph between the birth rate line and the death rate line. The total population of a country is the natural increase +/- migration. In the UK, migration has contributed quite a lot to the growth of the population.
Challenges
Opportunities
Elderly people have greater medical needs and the costs of looking after them will increase in the future.
• They will need increasing amounts of care to enable them • to stay in their own homes.
. Their children - in middle age - will increasingly be responsible for their care.
Many older people give up their time to work as volunteers in the community and some continue to work in paid employment.
• Many newly retired people enjoy good health and have money to spend on travel, home improvements and hobbies such as gardening.
• Businesses specialise in providing services for older people.
Causes
Effects
Responses
A large number of people born after the Second World War and through into the 1960s ('baby boomers') are now moving into old age
. Improved health care and new treatments prolong life especially from diseases such as cancer and heart conditions
Reductions in smoking, which caused a huge early death toll in the past
• Greater awareness of the benefits of a good diet and regular exercise
• Many older people are reasonably well off financially so can afford a reasonable standard of life
• Health care costs are very high • Shortages of places in care
homes many of which are
expensive • Many older people are looked after by their middle-aged children, often affecting their ability to remain in full-time employment
• Older people are valued employees as they have high standards and are reliable
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• Older people act as volunteers in hospitals, advice centres and food banks .
• Many older people are keen to travel and to join clubs, societies, sports centres, etc. This helps to boost the economy and provide jobs
Government issued Pensioner Bonds in 2015 to encourage older people to save money for the future
• Pensioners receive support in the form of care, reduced transport costs and heating allowances (winter fuel payments)
• Retirement age, which used to be 65, is being phased out to encourage people to continue working
• State pension age is gradually being increased to 67 and will probably rise further
Pronatalist policies introduced to encourage an increase in birth rate to balance the population structure. This could include cheaper child care, improved maternity and paternity leave and higher child-benefit payments
Immigration into the UK
Immigrants are people who migrate into a country, whereas emigrants pie who move our of a country. The UK is known for its fair and eicoming attitude towards people from all over the world. This explains why the UK has such a diverse cultural heritage.
In the twentieth century, the UK welcomed people from the Caribbean and from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. In the twenty-first century, the UK has welcomed people migrating from other parts of Europe, Asia and from war-torn countries such as Syria
Where are the recent trends in immigration?
Where do people come from
In the year to March 2015, net migration (the difference between immigration and emigration) reached 330,000, an all-time high. Much of this was due to people moving into the UK from poorer parts of Europe (such as Poland and Lithuania) and from conflict areas such as Afghanistan. Iraq and Syria.
The majority of people moving to the UK are seeking employment - they are often able to earn more in low-income jobs in the UK than in their home country. Others travel to the UK as students or to join family members.
In the 2011 census, the top country of origin for migrants to the UK was India (about 700,000). followed by Poland (580,000) and Pakistan (480,000) • Many immigrants from India and Pakistan travelled to join family who
were already living in the UK
• Recently, a large number of people from Poland have decided to move to the UK in search of better wages and improved opportunities • A considerable number of people have come to the UK from other
European countries. (This freedom of movement may change when the UK leaves the EU in 2019.) • Migrants have arrived from across the world, including Africa, Asia, the
USA and the Caribbean. Several countries are former colonial countries and current members of the Commonwealth (for example Jamaica
Trends since 2011 include:
. In the year ending March 2015, the highest numbers of migrants from outside the EU were from China
• From within the EU, large numbers migrated from Romania and
Bulgaria, two of the poorest and most recent countries to join the EU.
. In the last few years, an increasing number of people have arrived from war-torn countries, such as Syria and Afghanistan. They are seeking asylum (safety), fearing for their lives if they return to their countries of origin.
• In the year to June 2015, the UK received over 25,000 asylum applications, an increase of 10 per cent on the previous year.
What are the social and economic impacts of immigration to the UK?
Social
Economic
Advantages
Disadvantages
Advantages
Disadvantages
• Introduction of different cultures including foods, music and fashion Immigrants bring skills that may be in short • supply within the UK • Immigrants are often keen to engage with the local communities
May be some tensions with local people or other ethnic groups • May be some bad feeling about housing shortages leading to social unrest • Some people feel that the UK is already overcrowded and that too many immigrants will lead to increased urban pollution and congestion
Workers pay taxes to the government - the majority of immigrants work - more money is paid in taxes than received in benefits • Immigrants often take low-paid jobs in farming, factories or support services such as cleaning. Semi-skilled workers have filled gaps in the building industry as well as working as nurses • Some immigrants are well educated and highly trained • Those immigrants who study in the UK pay a considerable amount to colleges and universities
• Extra costs for health care, education and social services • House prices and rents may increase as demand outstrips supply • Money may be sent home by immigrants so does not get spent in the UK • Some people think that migrants are taking our jobs' and increasing unemployment - there is, however, no real evidence that immigration is linked to unemployment