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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Big rise predicted in rural old | Big rise predicted in rural old |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| A quarter of people living in England's countryside will be over 65 by 2020, according to figures seen by the BBC. | A quarter of people living in England's countryside will be over 65 by 2020, according to figures seen by the BBC. |
| The National Housing Federation says figures from the National Audit Office estimate a 40% rise in older residents over the next 10 years. | |
| There will be an increasingly smaller proportion of younger people to aid the ageing population in villages, it said. | |
| This would stretch health and local authority budgets beyond their limits, the federation warned. | This would stretch health and local authority budgets beyond their limits, the federation warned. |
| Affordable housing | Affordable housing |
| The rising cost of housing in rural areas is driving out younger people. At the same time better-off older people are retiring to their dream country home. | The rising cost of housing in rural areas is driving out younger people. At the same time better-off older people are retiring to their dream country home. |
| The federation said this meant many of the rural elderly would find themselves isolated, with fewer young neighbours to offer a helping hand. | The federation said this meant many of the rural elderly would find themselves isolated, with fewer young neighbours to offer a helping hand. |
| It predicted this would put huge pressure on an already stretched public purse, as social services and other agencies would have to step into the breach. | It predicted this would put huge pressure on an already stretched public purse, as social services and other agencies would have to step into the breach. |
| The federation called for more affordable housing to be built for younger people in rural areas, to help retain a cross-section of age groups. | The federation called for more affordable housing to be built for younger people in rural areas, to help retain a cross-section of age groups. |
| Currently throughout the UK, 16% of the total population is aged over 65. | Currently throughout the UK, 16% of the total population is aged over 65. |