Key points from article :
The UK’s elderly population has reached a record high, driven in part by a faster increase in life expectancy for men. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), an estimated 210,520 men were aged 90 or over in 2024, more than double the 97,570 reported in 2004. In contrast, the number of women in this age group grew more modestly, from 309,300 to 414,720 over the same period. As a result, the proportion of men among the very old has risen from 24% in 2004 to 33.7% in 2024, narrowing the historical gender gap among the elderly.
A similar trend is observed among centenarians. Men accounted for about 11% of people aged 100 and over in 2004, rising to nearly 18.4% by 2024. Overall, the population aged 90 and above in the UK increased by more than half in two decades, from 406,870 in 2004 to 625,240 in 2024, while the number of centenarians doubled from 8,330 to 16,650, both figures setting new records. The surge in centenarians also reflects historical birth patterns, such as the post-World War I “baby boom.”
The ONS attributes these demographic shifts to improvements in life expectancy, living standards, public health, and medical treatments. While women still generally live longer than men, the rate of increase in male life expectancy has outpaced that of women, contributing to the growing share of older men. Kerry Gadsdon, an ONS statistician, explained that decades of falling mortality have allowed more people to survive into very old age.
Regional differences are evident across the UK. In 2024, Wales had the highest proportion of centenarians at 25.9 per 100,000 people, followed by England (24.7), Scotland (18.4), and Northern Ireland (15.3). The lower figure in Northern Ireland is linked to historically higher fertility rates, producing a relatively younger population rather than reflecting lower longevity. Overall, these statistics highlight a dramatic shift in the UK’s age structure, with more people than ever living into their 90s and beyond.
