Population aged 65 and over — all countries

Population aged 65 and over — United Kingdom

Population aged 65 and over in the United Kingdom in 2025 — 13,690,810 people. Ranked 11 in the world out of 217. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 123.4%.

2025 13.69M people +1.34% vs 2024
World rank 11of 217
Period maximum 13.69M people2025
Period minimum 6.13M people1960

Trend over time

1960–2025 · people

Population aged 65 and over — United Kingdom, 1960–20256M8M10M12M14M19601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 6,128,434 people1962: 6,285,664 people1964: 6,510,525 people1966: 6,762,192 people1968: 7,025,618 people1970: 7,295,447 people1972: 7,573,189 people1974: 7,819,320 people1976: 8,038,244 people1978: 8,251,047 people1980: 8,443,854 people1982: 8,482,309 people1984: 8,437,447 people1986: 8,679,335 people1988: 8,909,512 people1990: 9,086,535 people1992: 9,192,215 people1994: 9,248,096 people1996: 9,303,026 people1998: 9,326,206 people2000: 9,357,878 people2002: 9,458,582 people2004: 9,574,521 people2006: 9,693,621 people2008: 9,911,806 people2010: 10,255,011 people2012: 10,813,887 people2014: 11,362,659 people2016: 11,754,104 people2018: 12,101,189 people2020: 12,417,508 people2022: 12,803,708 people2024: 13,509,634 people2025: 13,690,810 people
Change over the period: +7.56M (+123.4%) Average annual rate: 1.24 %

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: United Kingdom

United Kingdom 13.69M people
World 855M people
Europe & Central Asia 173M people
Northern Europe computed 21.94M people
High-income countries computed 278M people
Population aged 65 and over — United Kingdom, by year United Kingdom All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2025 13.69M +181,176 +1.34%
2024 13.51M +326,514 +2.48%
2023 13.18M +379,412 +2.96%
2022 12.8M +266,331 +2.12%
2021 12.54M +119,869 +0.97%
2020 12.42M +119,340 +0.97%
2019 12.3M +196,979 +1.63%
2018 12.1M +179,242 +1.5%
2017 11.92M +167,843 +1.43%
2016 11.75M +188,157 +1.63%
2015 11.57M +203,288 +1.79%
2014 11.36M +248,886 +2.24%
2013 11.11M +299,886 +2.77%
2012 10.81M +320,854 +3.06%
2011 10.49M +238,022 +2.32%
2010 10.26M +178,588 +1.77%
2009 10.08M +164,617 +1.66%
2008 9.91M +131,752 +1.35%
2007 9.78M +86,433 +0.89%
2006 9.69M +54,895 +0.57%
2005 9.64M +64,205 +0.67%
2004 9.57M +64,282 +0.68%
2003 9.51M +51,657 +0.55%
2002 9.46M +53,152 +0.57%
2001 9.41M +47,552 +0.51%
2000 9.36M +24,642 +0.26%
1999 9.33M +7,030 +0.08%
1998 9.33M +8,328 +0.09%
1997 9.32M +14,852 +0.16%
1996 9.3M +23,394 +0.25%
1995 9.28M +31,536 +0.34%
1994 9.25M +26,757 +0.29%
1993 9.22M +29,124 +0.32%
1992 9.19M +46,971 +0.51%
1991 9.15M +58,709 +0.65%
1990 9.09M +61,387 +0.68%
1989 9.03M +115,636 +1.3%
1988 8.91M +130,081 +1.48%
1987 8.78M +100,096 +1.15%
1986 8.68M +131,906 +1.54%
1985 8.55M +109,982 +1.3%
1984 8.44M +3,369 +0.04%
1983 8.43M −48,231 −0.57%
1982 8.48M −8,385 −0.1%
1981 8.49M +46,840 +0.55%
1980 8.44M +87,704 +1.05%
1979 8.36M +105,103 +1.27%
1978 8.25M +110,179 +1.35%
1977 8.14M +102,624 +1.28%
1976 8.04M +102,597 +1.29%
1975 7.94M +116,327 +1.49%
1974 7.82M +123,299 +1.6%
1973 7.7M +122,832 +1.62%
1972 7.57M +133,009 +1.79%
1971 7.44M +144,733 +1.98%
1970 7.3M +139,218 +1.95%
1969 7.16M +130,611 +1.86%
1968 7.03M +133,596 +1.94%
1967 6.89M +129,830 +1.92%
1966 6.76M +121,657 +1.83%
1965 6.64M +130,010 +2%
1964 6.51M +126,267 +1.98%
1963 6.38M +98,594 +1.57%
1962 6.29M +76,862 +1.24%
1961 6.21M +80,368 +1.31%
1960 6.13M

About the indicator

The population aged 65 and over. In absolute numbers this group is growing faster than any other: it expands both from the rise in life expectancy and from the entry of the large cohorts born in the middle of the 20th century. Japan and Italy lead by share of population, China and India by absolute number, and the divergence of the two rankings shows where the load on health care and pensions is larger in scale and where it is sharper.

Important: The threshold of 65 years is an international convention and is not tied to the retirement age of any particular country.

Source: World Population Prospects (UN), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.