London will bear cost of care crisis for ageing Britons

 
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London will have to bear the burden of an ageing population in England’s regions, official figures reveal today.

They show that the number of people aged over 85 is set to increase far quicker outside the capital in the next two decades.

The changing demographics will mean London is increasingly the engine of economic growth supporting provision of public services in the rest of the country. A new analysis today showed the capital now accounts for a historically high share of UK economic output at 21.9 per cent, higher than a previous peak of 21.5 per cent in 1911.

The figures show that the country is still heavily dependent on the City’s wealth and that Government efforts to rebalance the economy have had little impact so far.

Peers today warned that Britain is “woefully under-prepared” to deal with an ageing population. A cross-party Lords committee highlighted official figures which predict a doubling in over-85s between 2010 and 2030. The peers said that unless the Government acts swiftly, it can be expected to cause “a series of crises”.

The Lords report said the NHS and care system were “failing” older people. Lord Filkin, of the Lords Committee on Public Service and Demographic Change, said: “The amazing gift of longer life is to be welcomed, but our politicians need to address the implications.”

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