Ready or not: Our ageing population | Commissioner for Older People for Northern Ireland

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The size of Northern Ireland's population has changed relatively slowly over recent decades. But its age profile has changed dramatically;

By 2049, the number of people aged 65 and over is projected to reach 505,200.
That is an increase of 44.7% from 2024.
And the growth is greatest among the oldest age groups.
The population aged 65 and over is projected to increase by 44.7% between 2024 and 2049.
The population aged 85 and over is projected to increase by 126.1% over the same period.
By 2027, the number of people aged 65 and over is projected to exceed the number of children aged 0-15.
By 2049 people aged 65 and over are projected to make up 26.5% of Northern Ireland's population.

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What does this mean for society?

Population ageing is often thought of as a health and social care issue.

But an ageing population will affect almost every area of government and public life.

It will influence:

: More people will live into older age, often with complex or multiple long-term health conditions.
The pressure on health and social care is already evident. Between 2009 and 2023, the number of patients waiting for a first consultant-led outpatient appointment increased by 453%.
At the same time, the number of residential and nursing home beds available per older person has fallen by 23% since 2008.
Northern Ireland is also projected to experience the largest increase in the number of people living with dementia of any UK region.
: An older population needs housing that enables people to remain safe, independent and connected for longer.
Housing pressures are already significant.
In early 2026, 50,381 households were on the social housing waiting list - a record high.
As people live longer and household sizes become smaller, the demand for suitable, accessible and age-friendly homes will continue to grow.
: Growing older does not automatically mean being financially secure.
In 2023/24, 8% of pensioners in Northern Ireland were living in relative poverty.
Poverty also becomes more prevalent with age, reaching 18% among people aged 85 and over.
Financial pressures can affect people's ability to heat their homes, eat well, access transport and participate in their communities.
: Transport is about much more than getting from A to B.
For older people, access to reliable and affordable transport can mean the difference between being connected to services, family and community - and being isolated.
As our population ages, transport planning needs to take account of changing patterns of mobility, particularly for older people living in rural communities.
: As more public services move online, digital exclusion can create new barriers.
People aged 65 and over are four times more likely to have no digital skills than people aged 16-49:
41% compared with 10%.
Digital services can improve access and independence, but only if people are supported to use them and alternative ways of accessing essential services remain available.
: A growing older population will coincide with a relatively smaller working-age population.
That has implications for Northern Ireland's workforce, economic growth and public finances.
Many older people want to continue working and can make a significant contribution through their skills, experience and knowledge.
Government and employers need to consider how workplaces and employment policies can support people who want to remain in work for longer.

The numbers tell the story

The population aged 65+ is projected to increase by 44.7% between 2024 and 2049.

The population aged 85+ is projected to increase by 126.1% between 2024 and 2049

Between 2009 and 2023, the number of patients waiting for a first consultant-led outpatient appointment increased by 453%.

The number of residential and nursing home beds available per 100 older persons has fallen by 23% since 2008.

Food bank use among people aged 65+ increased by 91% between 2019/20 and 2024/25 - the largest increase of any age group.

41% of people aged 65+ have no digital skills, compared with 10% of people aged 16-49.

However...

It isn’t all bad news. Living longer is actually one of society's greatest achievements.

Older people make an enormous contribution to families, communities, the economy and public life. Many volunteer, are unpaid carers, provide childcare for their grandchildren enabling their children to work and the number of over 65s still in employment in Northern Ireland is the highest than anywhere else in the UK.

Population ageing therefore presents both challenges and opportunities.

"The issue is whether our policies, services and infrastructure are designed for the population we have now and the population we will have in the future."

Planning for an ageing population is not about doing more for one generation at the expense of another. It is about making sure that resources follow need and that public services are designed around the people they exist to serve.

Are we ready?

The evidence in this report shows that the changes associated with population ageing are not something that will happen decades from now. They are already happening.

Northern Ireland needs a coordinated, long-term response to population ageing.

In February 2025, MLAs unanimously supported a motion recognising the challenges and opportunities presented by an ageing population and calling for a cross-departmental strategy. Our report shows why that approach is needed.

Population ageing should be embedded at the heart of government planning so that services can adapt to the society Northern Ireland is becoming.

Explore the evidence

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Ready or Not: The ageing population