Statistics from the 2021 census have shown how Peterborough’s population has continued to age – with more than 30 people having celebrated their 100th birthday living in the city.
In the past 10 years, there has been an increase of 23.0% in people aged 65 years and over – above the rate across the whole country of 20.1 per cent.
The number of people aged 90 and over in Peterborough has increased by 37 per cent to 1,500 since 2011, figures released by the Office for National Statistics show. A total of 34 of those had celebrated their 100th birthday when the census was taken.
The average (median) age in England and Wales rose from 39 years in 2011 to 40 years in 2021, reflecting the changing age structure of the population.
Angele Storey, head of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Ageing Analysis team, said: “While living longer is something to be celebrated and our ageing population presents opportunities, it also has implications for the economy, services and society. Knowing the size and structure of the population is fundamental for decision makers and policy makers in the UK.
“The 2021 Census results will give further insight into the implications of an ageing population and the lives of older people when the more detailed multivariate data are published in 2023.”
The Centre for Ageing Better was launched in 2015. Dr Aideen Young, Senior Evidence Manager at the Centre, highlights some of the challenges facing older people.
She said: “Older people are a highly diverse group in terms of health and wealth, and within that group there are people very much in need – who are living in poverty, in poor housing and in poor health. Their precarious situation has been exacerbated by the cost of living crisis. They are the people that we really need to pay attention to.
“We have the oldest housing stock in Europe so there are many people living in non-decent and inappropriate homes. These homes are simply not suitable for people who are older or who have disabilities.”
2. Orton Malborne & Goldhay
Four centenarians recorded in 2021 census Photo: Peterborough Telegraph
3. Glinton, Northborough & Maxey
Three centenarians recorded in 2021 census Photo: Peterborough Telegraph
