Age dependency ratio, young in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Age dependency ratio, young was 26.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Age dependency ratio, young in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in % of working-age population.
Analysis
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland recorded 26.8% for age dependency ratio, young in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.3% on the previous year and down 3.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency ratio, young in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 38.4% in 1971 and was at its lowest, 26.8%, in 2025.
That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 141st out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Age dependency ratio, young in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | % of working-age population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 35.9% | — |
| 1961 | 35.9% | -0.0% |
| 1962 | 35.8% | -0.5% |
| 1963 | 35.7% | -0.1% |
| 1964 | 36.0% | +0.6% |
| 1965 | 36.3% | +1.0% |
| 1966 | 36.7% | +1.1% |
| 1967 | 37.2% | +1.2% |
| 1968 | 37.6% | +1.2% |
| 1969 | 38.0% | +1.0% |
| 1970 | 38.3% | +0.7% |
| 1971 | 38.4% | +0.3% |
| 1972 | 38.4% | -0.0% |
| 1973 | 38.2% | -0.5% |
| 1974 | 37.8% | -1.0% |
| 1975 | 37.2% | -1.6% |
| 1976 | 36.4% | -2.2% |
| 1977 | 35.5% | -2.6% |
| 1978 | 34.5% | -2.7% |
| 1979 | 33.6% | -2.6% |
| 1980 | 32.8% | -2.5% |
| 1981 | 31.9% | -2.5% |
| 1982 | 31.1% | -2.5% |
| 1983 | 30.4% | -2.4% |
| 1984 | 29.8% | -2.0% |
| 1985 | 29.3% | -1.4% |
| 1986 | 29.0% | -1.0% |
| 1987 | 28.8% | -0.8% |
| 1988 | 29.0% | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 29.3% | +1.1% |
| 1990 | 29.5% | +0.7% |
| 1991 | 29.8% | +1.0% |
| 1992 | 30.1% | +1.0% |
| 1993 | 30.3% | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 30.3% | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 30.2% | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 30.1% | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 29.9% | -0.5% |
| 1998 | 29.7% | -0.6% |
| 1999 | 29.5% | -0.8% |
| 2000 | 29.1% | -1.5% |
| 2001 | 28.6% | -1.7% |
| 2002 | 28.2% | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 28.1% | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 27.9% | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 27.6% | -1.2% |
| 2006 | 27.3% | -1.2% |
| 2007 | 27.0% | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 26.9% | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 26.9% | -0.0% |
| 2010 | 26.9% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 27.0% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 27.2% | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 27.4% | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 27.6% | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 27.8% | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 28.0% | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 28.2% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 28.3% | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 28.4% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 28.3% | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 28.1% | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 27.8% | -1.1% |
| 2023 | 27.5% | -1.1% |
| 2024 | 27.1% | -1.2% |
| 2025 | 26.8% | -1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 36.5% | 35.7% | 38.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 36.8% | 33.6% | 38.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 30.1% | 28.8% | 32.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 29.9% | 29.5% | 30.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 27.8% | 26.9% | 29.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 27.7% | 26.9% | 28.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 27.6% | 26.8% | 28.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- 138 United States Virgin Islands 27.2% compare
- 139 Gibraltar 27.2% compare
- 140 Uruguay 27.2% compare
- 142 Sweden 26.8% compare
- 143 Costa Rica 26.6% compare
- 144 French Polynesia 26.5% compare
More health data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.71 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.0265 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,134 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 461 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 50-54, male, annual growth rate -1.54 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, male, per capita 0.0317 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, annual growth rate -0.0248 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, per capita 0.0342 units per person (2025)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency ratio, young in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Age dependency ratio, young in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 26.8% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest age dependency ratio, young recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 38.4% in 1971.
- What is the lowest age dependency ratio, young recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.8% in 2025.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for age dependency ratio, young?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 141st out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is age dependency ratio, young rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Age dependency ratio, young (% of working-age population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Age dependency ratio, young, is the ratio of younger dependents--people younger than 15--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.