Since its inception back in 1908 (I think), the UK Welfare State system, specifically the State Pension, has provided UK residents with a form of income following the end of their working lives. Initially devised as a way to ensure the poorest in society had money to live, after WW2, the State Pension we know of today took off and has provided we Brits with what is a pretty generous financial benefit.

Back then, of course, the adage was “Three score years and ten” (70 for those who only read in colour) when referring to life expectancy. The term was so well recognised that, when the retirement age was set at 65 for men and 60 for women, the Government only expected to be paying anyone a pension for two years if they were men and seven if they were women.

Around the same time as this retirement age was settled upon, that other great British institution, the National Health Service, was created. Prior to the Second World War, people paid to see the doctor. For those in poorer circumstances, some communities had informal “health clubs” that allowed members to in effect subscribe to a group and spread the cost. The NHS meant that was no longer necessary and introduced comprehensive, complete healthcare that was both free at the point of use and available to all.

So far, so good.

Ironically, both systems became victims of their own success. Added to that, following a worldwide six-year conflict that killed millions of people, with the new-found peace came a desire for people to have more children. The NHS gave women access to much safer places for them to give birth, meaning infant mortality rates went into a steep decline. National vaccination campaigns also dramatically reduced instances of death through previously fatal illnesses.

On the benefit side, having access to a national pension scheme meant people were able to retire knowing the State would support them. Granted, the payment would be unlikely to match the salary people had earned while working but, as they were unlikely to have a mortgage (which would have been their largest monthly expense), the pension provided a livable income for most people.

There was, of course a downside to all of this. Aside from a brief UK anomaly in 1976 and 1977 and of course the two word wars, birth rates have exceeded death rates every year in the 20th century. as a result, the proportion of pensioners taking from the scheme versus working people contributing to it has steadily grown. This has meant that the national pension pot has also become steadily depleted, unable to keep up with a growing older population.

The UK Government has only recently increased the state pension age, something it probably should have reviewed every five to ten years. So it is that now, women’s retirment age is the same as men’s, with both currently set at 67. I think it is only a matter of time before we get to a pension age of 70 but with most people enjoying greater health, it will have to be considered if the State Pension is to survive. In order to prop that state scheme up, in 2012, the Government made it compulsory for companies to set up private pension plans for all employees, with some exceptions. By providing these private income schemes, people would no longer have to solely rely on what may become a more worthless State scheme. Again, all good.

There is, however, an elephant in the room. Back in the time of the State Pension being introduced, reaching 80 was considered a rare milestone. Today, 90 is commonplace and even reaching 100 is no longer the rarity it once was. The late Queen and now His Majesty the King will be having “100 year” cards signed with a regularity that was unheard of a generaiton ago.

While we are “enjoying” longer life today, the health problems that we face have changed. Up until recently, the biggest killer in the UK was heart disease and related conditions. These were often illnesses brought about by lifestyle choices but ones that could be controlled, often through diet or exercise.

Today, the UK’s biggest killer is Alzheimer’s Disease. This horrifically cruel condition first robs the sufferer of their mind before dealing the final, fatal blow. This can often be the body simply forgetting how to function, so a sufferer may die of starvation because they forget how to eat or simply for get that they need to. Care homes are springing up everywhere in a bid to support as many elderly people as possible but there will still be those living in their homes, alone or supported by family or the local health service support teams.

So, while we have developed technologies and funding models to provide for longer lives, the one thing that hasn’t been able to keep up with all this progress is the human body itself. It will take a few generations for it to condition itself to significantly longer lifespans (if it ever does) but, for now at least, I don’t believe we are designed to run for this length of time.

I have no answer to all of this but it does concern me more than a little. Watching my mother fall more rapidly into the madness that is Alzheimer’s, I am aware that I may also end up going down that road. I have already told my daughters to send me to a home if I am diagnosed, as I don’t want them to be burdened with the responsibility of looking after me. As Pete Townshend once put it:

“Hope I die before I get old.”

Well, that was cheerful.