Population aged 65 years or older (thousands) in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Population aged 65 years or older (thousands) was 13,591 thousands in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
13,591 thousands
Change on year
up 1.6%
World rank
11th
of 233 countries
All-time high
13,591 thousands
in 2025
All-time low
7,224 thousands
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Population aged 65 years or older in United Kingdom, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in thousands.
Analysis
In 2025, population aged 65 years or older in United Kingdom stood at 13,591 thousands. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
The figure is up 1.6% on the previous year and up 17.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population aged 65 years or older in United Kingdom peaked at 13,591 thousands in 2025 and was at its lowest, 7,224 thousands, in 1970.
United Kingdom ranks 11th of 233 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Population aged 65 years or older (thousands) in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | thousands | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 7,224 thousands | — |
| 1971 | 7,367 thousands | +2.0% |
| 1972 | 7,512 thousands | +2.0% |
| 1973 | 7,633 thousands | +1.6% |
| 1974 | 7,758 thousands | +1.6% |
| 1975 | 7,880 thousands | +1.6% |
| 1976 | 7,990 thousands | +1.4% |
| 1977 | 8,083 thousands | +1.2% |
| 1978 | 8,193 thousands | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 8,303 thousands | +1.3% |
| 1980 | 8,401 thousands | +1.2% |
| 1981 | 8,477 thousands | +0.9% |
| 1982 | 8,496 thousands | +0.2% |
| 1983 | 8,462 thousands | -0.4% |
| 1984 | 8,405 thousands | -0.7% |
| 1985 | 8,478 thousands | +0.9% |
| 1986 | 8,634 thousands | +1.8% |
| 1987 | 8,747 thousands | +1.3% |
| 1988 | 8,838 thousands | +1.0% |
| 1989 | 9,012 thousands | +2.0% |
| 1990 | 9,072 thousands | +0.7% |
| 1991 | 9,139 thousands | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 9,193 thousands | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 9,236 thousands | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 9,252 thousands | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 9,288 thousands | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 9,315 thousands | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 9,333 thousands | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 9,344 thousands | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 9,353 thousands | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 9,363 thousands | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 9,405 thousands | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 9,459 thousands | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 9,512 thousands | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 9,564 thousands | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 9,644 thousands | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 9,696 thousands | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 9,756 thousands | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 9,872 thousands | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 10,022 thousands | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 10,205 thousands | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 10,384 thousands | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 10,686 thousands | +2.9% |
| 2013 | 11,027 thousands | +3.2% |
| 2014 | 11,288 thousands | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 11,524 thousands | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 11,712 thousands | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 11,899 thousands | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 12,086 thousands | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 12,286 thousands | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 12,489 thousands | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 12,574 thousands | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 12,759 thousands | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 13,054 thousands | +2.3% |
| 2024 | 13,373 thousands | +2.4% |
| 2025 | 13,591 thousands | +1.6% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 13,591 thousands is above the median for high income countries, which is 291.46 thousands, 46.6× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 13,591 thousands is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 974.42 thousands, 13.9× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 7,794 thousands | 7,224 thousands | 8,303 thousands | 10 |
| 1980s | 8,595 thousands | 8,401 thousands | 9,012 thousands | 10 |
| 1990s | 9,253 thousands | 9,072 thousands | 9,353 thousands | 10 |
| 2000s | 9,629 thousands | 9,363 thousands | 10,022 thousands | 10 |
| 2010s | 11,310 thousands | 10,205 thousands | 12,286 thousands | 10 |
| 2020s | 12,973 thousands | 12,489 thousands | 13,591 thousands | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More population data for United Kingdom
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.1791 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.1389 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.1791 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.0706 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 71,685 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.2666 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.169 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.2% (2100)
- Population density 307.14 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 3.21 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population aged 65 years or older in United Kingdom?
- Population aged 65 years or older in United Kingdom was 13,591 thousands in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population aged 65 years or older recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 13,591 thousands in 2025.
- What is the lowest population aged 65 years or older recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 7,224 thousands in 1970.
- How does United Kingdom rank for population aged 65 years or older?
- United Kingdom ranks 11th out of 233 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population aged 65 years or older rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Population aged 65 years or older (thousands). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release