London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Aug 25, 2025

UK: Number of women over 80 without children set to triple in 25 years

UK: Number of women over 80 without children set to triple in 25 years

A steep rise in the number of people reaching old age without having children to look after them will place a huge strain on the social care system, researchers have warned.
The Office for National Statistics is projecting that the number of women aged 80 without children will triple in the next 25 years.

Women born in the middle of the 1960s baby boom are twice as likely to be childless than those born immediately after the Second World War, figures show.

With three in 10 adults aged 85 and over receiving informal care from their children, it’s feared a substantial ‘unmet need’ will be created in the social care sector, especially in care homes, come the middle of this century.

Campaigners have called for the Government to introduce a fairer funding model for later-life care before being hit with this extra strain.

Helen Walker, chief executive of Carers UK, said: ‘Given there is already huge unmet need for formal care in this country, it is staggering to think about the sky-high level of demand that will be placed on our care system and unpaid carers in the next 25 years if urgent action isn’t taken by the Government.’

Researchers looked at birth registration data in three groups; those born after the First World War, now in their late 90s, after the Second World War, now in their 70s, and during the 1960s baby boom, now in their 50s.

Currently, there are 20,892 women aged 80 estimated to be without children in England and Wales.

By 2045, when the 1960s cohort will enter their 80s, the number of women aged 80 without children is expected to have more than tripled to 66,313.

It’s not possible to estimate the number of childless men from the births data, but separate analysis suggests there are similar levels of childlessness to women in the post WW2 and 1960s groups.

This number does not include older people whose children have died before them, are unable to help because they live far away or have their own care needs, or are unwilling to help because they are estranged. But it may include women with step or adopted children.

Reasons for the 1960s cohort remaining childless could include an increase in female employment, more women attending university, and a change in attitudes towards having children, the ONS said.

Catherine Foot, the director of evidence at the Centre for Ageing Better, said it further proves that society needs to ‘wake up’ to the implications of an ageing population, adding: ‘As these figures show, the number of people entering later life without children is set to dramatically increase in the years to come – with serious knock-on effects on the demand for social care.

‘Without action to fix our social care system, we risk sleepwalking into a crisis.’

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: ‘Putting social care on a sustainable footing is one of the biggest challenges that our society faces.

‘We are giving these long-term, complex challenges our full consideration and will bring forward a plan that supports the social care sector, the individuals and the families that use it long into the future.’
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
Nurse who raped woman continued working for a year despite police alert
Drought forces closures of England’s canal routes, canceling boat holidays
Sweet tooth scents: food-inspired perfumes surge as weight-loss drugs suppress appetites
Experts warn Britain dangerously reliant on imported food
Family of Notting Hill Carnival murder victim call event unmanageable
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
Trump Called Viktor Orbán: "Why Are You Using the Veto"
Horror in the Skies: Plane Engine Exploded, Passengers Sent Farewell Messages
MSNBC Rebrands as MS NOW Amid Comcast’s Cable Spin-Off
AI in Policing: Draft One Helps Speed Up Reports but Raises Legal and Ethical Concerns
Shame in Norway: Crown Princess’s Son Accused of Four Rapes
Apple Begins Simultaneous iPhone 17 Production in India and China
A Robot to Give Birth: The Chinese Announcement That Shakes the World
×