Population change and movement to the UK - EduqasFactors affecting population change and structure

Population change is also the result of differences between the birth rate and the death rate which gives the level of natural change (increase or decrease) in a country.

Population change and the UK

• UK population increased slowly until around 1800
• An increase in life expectancy, improved food supplies and clean water, led to rapid population growth during the 1800s
• Falling birth rates, due to changing social attitudes and the emancipation of women, led to a slowing of population growth in the 1900s
• Since the 1950s, access to contraception and modern medicines have helped keep birth rates and death rates low and as a result population growth has been low.

Birth rates are low in the UK because:

• people are marrying later and delaying starting a family due to career building
• the high cost of living makes children expensive
• couples may prefer to spend money on things such as holidays and cars
• birth control and the contraceptive pill in particular, are easily available

Death rates are low in the UK because:

• health care is modern and widely available, provided free at point of need by the NHS
• people have less physically-demanding jobs
• modern medicines treat many diseases
• people are better educated about health and hygiene
• higher incomes enable people to eat a healthy diet and have good living conditions.

Population structure

Population structure means the 'make up' or composition of a population. Looking at the population structure of a place shows how the population is divided up between males and females of different age groups. The structure of a population is often of greater importance than numbers alone.

Population structure is usually shown using a population pyramid. A population pyramid can be drawn up for any area, from a whole continent or country to an individual town, city or village.

A population pyramid tells us how many dependants there are. There are two groups of dependants - young dependants (aged below 15) and elderly dependants (aged over 65). Dependants rely upon the working population for economic support. As birth rates fall and people have smaller families, the number of young dependants is falling and the number of elderly dependants is rising.

The population structure of the UK has changed since 2008 as a result of low birth and death rates, together with migration into and out of the country. The population pyramid above shows these changes. There has been:

• an increase in the number of children aged under ten years old
• an increase in the number of older adults aged 45 to 55
• an increase in older people aged 90 or over

Increase in the number of children

This is partly due to the higher birth rates of migrants who have entered the country in recent years. Many migrants are of reproductive age. In addition, migrants may come from countries where birth rates are higher. Fertility rates amongst older women in the UK has also risen slightly. In 2021, the largest increase in fertility rates was among those aged 35 to 39 years.

Increase in older adults

There was an increase in net migration into the UK after 2004 when 10 new Eastern European countries joined the EU and gained the right to live and work in the UK. These young adults left countries such as Poland to seek work. Many of these migrants have permanently settled in the UK and aged to become older adults.

Increase in over 80s

Along with the factors associated with the growth of an ageing population, the increase in older people is also due to medical advances. For example, new treatments for some diseases have improved the life chances for sufferers. In 2020 the number of people living to 100 years or above in the UK increased by nearly one-fifth compared with 2019; this increase was driven by birth patterns in the early 1900s. The birth rate of the UK increased significantly between 1919 and 1920 because of the post-war baby boom at the end of World War One.