Northumberland’s population is ‘greying’ faster than that of England as a whole. This page provides data and statistics on older people in Northumberland.

According to the 2014 mid-year estimates, produced by the Office for National Statistics, there were 71,100 residents in Northumberland who were aged 65 and over, which equates to 22.5% of the population. This figure is projected to rise to 83,100 by 2021.

By 2030, the number of older people living alone in Northumberland is forecast to increase significantly, with the largest percentage increase in older people aged 75+ predicted to rise by nearly two thirds (65%) in the years 2014 to 2030.
Older people - statistics
Below you can find statistics relating to older people.

• older people - demographics (age, ethnicity, projections, dependency ratio)
• older people - health and care
• older people - living arrangements
• older people - projections (health)
• Older People's health profille NHS 
• Older-people-age-profile-Northumberland-2017 report

 
Social connectedness in Northumberland
 
The positive benefits of social connectedness for residents’ health and wellbeing has been well-researched and widely acknowledged (see for example material produced by the campaign to end loneliness at www.campaigntoendloneliness.org

The following information provides evidence specific to Northumberland and some key messages are summarised below:
Key messages:

• 5,500 – 12,000 older people (60+) in Northumberland are currently estimated to feel lonely often or always
• over 41,000 people in Northumberland – over 13 in every 100 residents – live on their own (though they may not necessarily lack social connectedness)
• Bamburgh is the Northumberland ward which has the highest number of older people living alone and Wensleydale, near Blyth, has the next highest number suggesting that households of this sort are found both in urban and rural areas.
• the number of older people living alone in Northumberland is forecast to increase significantly by 2030, with the largest percentage increase in older people aged 75+ -predicted to rise by nearly two thirds (65%).  The increase in men aged 75+ living alone is particularly marked – up nearly 80% by 2030
• most of the people who use care services in Northumberland (83%) said they had an adequate or better level of social contact

 
Further statistics on social connectedness