A future of more older people and living alone

Solo life more likely as we age

- BY IAN JONES

THE number of households in England where the oldest person is aged 85 and over is projected to jump by nearly half a million in a decade.

At the same time there is likely to be a drop of 600,000 homes with kids.

A growing proportion of households are also projected to contain just one person, reflecting an ageing population and decline in fertility rates.