Spending on long-term care is set to double or even triple by 2050, according to a new report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

The report suggested this was driven by ageing populations, and suggested governments needed to make long-term care policies more affordable as well as providing better support for family carers.

The report, ‘Help Wanted? Providing and paying for long-term care’ says that half of all people who need long-term care are over 80 years old. The report also states that the share of the population in this age group in OECD countries will reach nearly one in ten by 2050, up sharply from one in 25 in 2010.

% of population over 80 years old

Link to underlying data – Source: OECD Labour Force and Demographic database

The report says that Governments will need to find a balance between offering access to good-quality care and making their systems financially sustainable.