Ageing population: causes and effects
UK population is ageing due to declining birth rates and increasing life expectancy; median age has risen from 34 (1970) to 41 (2023), with significant social and economic consequences for families.
Real World
By 2030, the NHS projects over-65s will make up 20% of the UK population, already visible in debates about raising the state pension age to 68 and the growing number of adult children providing unpaid care for elderly parents.
Exam Focus
Use the term 'sandwich generation' precisely — it refers to adults simultaneously caring for children and elderly parents, not ageing generally.
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