Age dependency breakdown in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Age dependency breakdown was 30.3% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Age dependency breakdown in United Kingdom, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, age dependency breakdown in United Kingdom stood at 30.3%. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is up 1.8% on the previous year and up 13.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency breakdown in United Kingdom peaked at 30.3% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 16.2%, in 1950.
United Kingdom ranks 38th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 17.1% | 16.2% | 17.9% | 10 |
| 1960s | 19.0% | 18.0% | 20.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 22.3% | 20.9% | 23.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 23.4% | 22.8% | 24.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 24.6% | 24.4% | 24.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.3% | 24.1% | 24.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 27.1% | 24.8% | 29.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 29.7% | 29.3% | 30.3% | 4 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 35 Austria 30.7% compare
- 36 Romania 30.7% compare
- 37 Lithuania 30.4% compare
- 39 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 30.1% compare
- 40 Montserrat 30.0% compare
- 41 Switzerland 30.0% compare
More reference data data for United Kingdom
- Spring temperature anomalies 1.37 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 2.09 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month -0.4402 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies -0.1504 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 1.74 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 153.13 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency breakdown in United Kingdom?
- Age dependency breakdown in United Kingdom was 30.3% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest age dependency breakdown recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 30.3% in 2023.
- What is the lowest age dependency breakdown recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.2% in 1950.
- How does United Kingdom rank for age dependency breakdown?
- United Kingdom ranks 38th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is age dependency breakdown rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Age dependency breakdown. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The number of people aged 65 and over per 100 working-age people (aged 15 to 64).