The table presents data on the population of Britain, measured in millions, across six age groups in 1995 and 2005, together with projections for 2015.
Overall, the population increased steadily over the period and is expected to continue rising. While the two youngest age groups experienced slight declines between 1995 and 2005, all groups are projected to grow by 2015, with the most pronounced increases occurring among older people.
In 1995, Britain’s population stood at 54.1 million, rising modestly to 56.6 million in 2005, and is forecast to reach 62.3 million by 2015. The most significant growth between 1995 and 2005 was observed in the 60-74 age group, which increased markedly from 5.3 million to 8.6 million. A comparable upward trend was seen among those aged 75 and over, whose numbers rose from 4.2 million to 5.4 million. By contrast, the 0-14 and 15-24 groups declined slightly, falling from 8.9 to 7.4 million and from 7.6 to 6.5 million respectively.
Looking ahead, all age groups are expected to expand, albeit at varying rates. The most substantial increases are anticipated in the 40-59 and 75+ categories, which are projected to reach 13.7 million and 6.4 million respectively, while the youngest group is expected to recover moderately to 7.9 million.