The UN has placed a high priority on addressing ageing-related issues in its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), part of its 2030 Agenda.

Thanks, in the main, to decades of improved healthcare and technological progress, more of us are getting old and living longer. Global life expectancy is expected to increase, and on current projections almost 1 in 6 (1.4 billion) of the world population will be aged 60 or over by 2030. Increasing migration and declining fertility are other factors associated with changing demography in many countries.

Whilst we know a great deal about the likely opportunities and impact of such significant change across the UK and globally, there are many gaps in the knowledge we need to inform the social and economic policy response. The challenges of ageing populations around the world can be seen in everything from pressure on public services and welfare to investment decisions by pension funds. On a social level, there are implications for people becoming lonely in older age or finding difficulty in maintaining a good quality of life. But age presents opportunities as well: as we retain and develop expertise, or nurture networks and promote human rights.

To ensure that these SDGs are deliverable and measurable, we need to be able to produce and use data that relates specifically to ageing. ONS is delighted that we have been invited to lead on the task of identifying and developing these data sources.

This presentation will cover why we wanted to establish the “Titchfield City Group”, what its aims are, and the next steps. It will also show more broadly some of the initiatives we are leading by way of our Centre of Expertise in Ageing and Demography.