Demographic Changes

Recent demographic changes in the UK, including declining birth rate, increased immigration under an ageing population. Some sociologists, such as the New Right, argue that these changes may have negative impacts on families and households as they undermine the traditional nuclear family. However, other sociologists, such as postmodernists, argue that these changes have had a range of different impacts on families and households in the UK. 

Applying material from the text above and your knowledge, evaluate sociological views on the impact of demographic changes on families and households in the UK. [20 marks] 

‘declining birth rate’

• Women building careers first - fertility rate 1.49

• Leads to better quality childhood with more time and money spent on each child

• Increase IMR means no need for insurance children

• Feminists believe that this is good and helps with gender quake

• Sharpe - changing ambition

• C - functionalists argue that this takes away key roles of the family

‘increased immigration’

• New family types

  • African Caribbean - matrifocal lone parent

  • Asian - beanpole

  • European - lone person households help with the ageing population

• Could increase level of skills found

• Liberating for women who can have cleaners - takes away dual burden

• C - matrifocal lone parent families may have left father behind due to him being unable to find work in the UK - economic burden

  • Inadequate socialisation - Murray

‘ageing population’

• Dependency ratio increasing

• Phillipson - elderly are no longer valuable as they no longer contribute to the economy

• Poor impact on care sector, NHS, pensions timebomb

• Economic and physical burden to families - especially in sandwich generation

• Takes focus away from career as women may have to quit jobs - worsening dependency ratio

• C - can help with childcare decreasing dual burden