Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what was the number of (1) over 65 year olds, and (2) over 80 year olds, in each year since 1945.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

Please see the letter attached from the National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority.

The Lord Taylor of Goss Moor

House of Lords

London

SW1A 0PW

28 November 2023

Dear Lord Taylor,

As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Questions asking about the number of (1) over 65-year-olds (HL437), and (2) over 80-year-olds in each year since 1945 for both the UK as a whole and those living in Cornwall (HL438).

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is responsible for publishing population estimates for the United Kingdom. The attached Excel file provides estimates for the United Kingdom from 1953 to 2021 and for England and Wales from 1945 to 2022. United Kingdom age group estimates are not available from before 1953. Estimates for the United Kingdom for 2022 are not yet available due to synchronisation issues caused by the latest census being held in 2021 in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland and in 2022 in Scotland.

The file also contains estimates for Cornwall from 1971 to 2022. Age group estimates prior to 1991 are not available for Cornwall as local authority reorganisation in the early 1970s prevents comparisons prior to 1971.

When accessing any of our files please read the 'notes, terms and conditions' contained within them.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Sir Ian Diamond