ABSTRACT
According to the OPCS (1992a), there were 9.8 million pensioners in Great Britain in 1991 out of a total population of 56.2 million. Of this total, 11.7 per cent were aged from 60 or 65 (in the case of women and men respectively) to 74, 5.5 per cent were aged from 75 to 84 and 1.5 per cent were aged 85 and over. In the group aged 75 and over, 4.6 per cent were women and 2.4 per cent were men. Overall, the percentage of households containing pensioners had increased from 6.8 million to 7 million, and the total number of pensioners had increased from 9.1 million to 9.4 million (1981-91). Of particular interest to all those concerned with the elderly was the increase in the number of pensioners living alone, the proportion increasing from 14.2 per cent in 1981 to 15.1 per cent in 1991. Moreover, another 9.7 per cent of households in Great Britain in 1991 consisted of two or more pensioners and no other persons. Undoubtedly, the 2001 Census will show that the total number of pensioners in Great Britain has risen substantially in the period 1991-2001, and particularly the proportion aged 75 and over.
