Debate contribution: Ageing Population: Strategic Plan
Debate contribution by Mr Brian Kingston on .
- MLA
- Mr Brian Kingston
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 25 February 2025
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Private Members' Business
- Heading
- Ageing Population: Strategic Plan
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4815123
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I thank the Member for East Londonderry Claire Sugden for tabling the motion, which recognises the changing demographics for age in Northern Ireland and the need to plan accordingly. The increase in average life expectancy across the United Kingdom is a great achievement. It was 46 years of age when my late granny was born, 59 when my late parents were born and 71 when I was born. It is now 82 years of age. We are able to measure the increase in our older age groups in Northern Ireland. In the decade from 2013 to 2023, the population here aged 85 and over increased by 25%, which is a rate of increase that is more than five times higher than that for the population as a whole. By the end of this Assembly mandate in mid-2027, the long-term trend of the declining birth rate and greater life expectancy means that the proportion of Northern Ireland's population aged over 65 is expected to outnumber that aged under 15 for the first time. Our party recognises the need to build an age-friendly society. The Democratic Unionist Party is committed to promoting the health and well-being of older people by ensuring that they have secure and safe accommodation, equal access to services, vibrant social and economic opportunities and protection against crime, abuse and poverty. One of the three missions in the draft Programme for Government is "People", with a focus on supporting:
"everyone at all stages of their life to ensure they have the chance to succeed by improving life opportunities"
and leaving no one behind.
The previous Commissioner for Older People for Northern Ireland (COPNI) stated:
"In the coming decades, every year more people will reach State Pension Age (SPA) than those who will reach working age ... By 2040, Northern Ireland will only have three people of working age per pensioner, and by 2070, it will only be around two."
Those expected demographic changes will mean that the proportion of the population that is of working age will progressively decrease while the number of people who will require services such as supported housing, social care and state pensions will increase. There are many ways in which older people are impacted on, positively and negatively, by changes in society brought about by policy changes and technological advances. In Northern Ireland, there is a strong correlation between ageing populations, rural areas and limited access to digital services. Proficiency on digital devices is a prerequisite for many aspects of modern life, such as booking a flight or tickets for an event, accessing banking services or welfare benefits and making an online purchase. Older people, who are the last generation not to have grown up in the internet era, often need support to successfully access online services and all the more so if broadband access is limited in their area. Older people depend most on traditional forms of media, yet that is the group that the BBC has betrayed by scrapping the universal free TV licence for over-75s. Our party will continue to fight for the abolition of the licence fee, but, while it still exists, we will fight for the restoration of free TV licences for all those aged over 75. A large number of bank branches have left our high streets. That loss impacts on older people, more vulnerable people and those who live in a rural community. Community transport, particularly in rural areas, is a lifeline for older people. We seek to give older people the confidence and capacity to live enriched and independent lives by expanding access to transport. The DUP supported the expansion of the SmartPass for older people, and we will continue to encourage its greater uptake. Older people need effective transport services in order to stay healthy and participate in society. Such services are especially helpful when people are unable to drive their own vehicle. As time is limited, my colleague on the Committee for the Executive Office, Harry Harvey, will, in due course, expand our comments into other areas in which strategic planning for an ageing population is required, including healthcare.
685 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not flagged”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.04 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- Assessed as legitimate policy scrutiny (0.90).
- No identity-based framing was identified (1.00).
- Subject area: Sexism, misogyny, ageism and other equality groups.
- The overall probability was at or below the not-flagging threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.05 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.02 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.02 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.03 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.06 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.90 | Yes |
| Overall judgement | 0.04 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 1.00 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.00 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Sexism, misogyny, ageism and other equality groups | 0.99 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.01 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.00 |
| Irish language, Ulster-Scots and language policy | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 12:01 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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