Census shows Bolton's young people are leaving town

The first round of 2021 Census results was published this week with the released data concerning population numbers and demographics.

It revealed that there are 8.1 per cent fewer people between the ages of 20 and 25 are living the borough since the last census ten years ago, despite Bolton’s overall population rising by 6.9 per cent.

Cllr Martyn Cox, Leader of Bolton Council, admitted that the drop off is concerning.

He said: “Young people provide the energy to an employment town like Bolton. They make start-ups. They are the ones who have the energy to work longer and harder.

“Clearly our town need this demographic, so it’s of concern.”

Cllr Cox was more focussed on the revelation that nationally the number of people aged 65 and over surpassed those under the age of 15.

The Census shows that 59,597,300 people that the Office for National Statistics recorded in England and Wales, 11.1m were aged 65 and over compared with 10.4m aged under 15 - the first time that this has happened in decades.

Credit PA

Cllr Cox said: “That will have profound consequences for the future. The lack of young people versus the increase of old is going to affect the welfare state.

“Fewer and fewer people are having children – it’s beginning to show in some of our primary schools. Some are finding it difficult to recruit.”

Cllr Cox’s is concerned that with fewer young people to make up the future workforce and therefore pay into the welfare state, coupled with more people living past retirement age who rely on the welfare state to get by, there is likely to be a crisis point in the future.

“I think it’s worth a national debate,” he said. “If it continues the way the census is telling us it’s going it will have profound effects on Bolton and the whole country.”

The population of Bolton has risen up to 296,000 from 276,786 in 2011. That’s approximately 2,117 people per square kilometre, or 15.1 people for every football pitch-sized piece of land.