evidence: The older population – Ages 65 and over The older population (i.e. those aged 65 years and over) is projected to increase very significantly from its 2016 level of 629,800 persons to nearly 1.6 million by 2051 under the more positive M1 and M2 migration assumptions and to nearly 1.53 million under more conservative M3 migration scenario. See fig 2.10. [...] The older dependency ratio (the population aged 65 years and over expressed as a percentage of the population aged 15 - 64 years) was 20.3% in 2016. This is projected to increase steadily from 2016 onwards, rising by 3 - 4 percentage points every five years. By 2051 this ratio will be have doubled since 2016 except under M1F1 where it is just less than double and will range between 40.3% for the M1F1 scenario to 47.6% under the M3F2 scenario.