Our Scans · Tax · Weekly Summary

• [New] Rates of vision loss and eye disease are expected to double by 2050 due to population ageing and increases in chronic diseases, such as diabetes, that can lead to vision loss. Prevent Blindness
• [New] In some regions, including China, Central & Eastern Europe, and the North Atlantic, working age populations will decline over the coming decades. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] Employment growth is expected to be more resilient in some non-OECD emerging economies such as India and South Africa, but to slow further in China due to its ageing population reducing labour supply. IBPS Guide
• Ageing-related spending pressures are increasing, with social security and Medicare trust funds projected to be depleted within a decade. MarketForces Africa
• In 2022, a key breakthrough in biomedicine brings the prospect of extending productive adulthood and the average life expectancy by up to 25 years, prompting projected ethical, environmental and fiscal crises of epic proportions. BusinessTech
• Australia is being asked simultaneously to fund a significant defence uplift, maintain an ageing population's social contract, address generational aspirations, and address housing and energy failures - in a fiscal environment made more uncertain by global trade disruption. Dead Reckoning
• Population growth will be slower than originally forecast and Australia will be older due to the twin forces of increasing life expectancy and low fertility. Australian Financial Review
• A possibly more problematic feature could be the impact tariffs have on U.S. industries that rely heavily on imported raw materials and semi-finished products. Forbes
• Over the long run, structural issues such as an ageing population, low productivity growth, human capital mismatch, supply chain shifts and geopolitical rivalry may limit China's growth, risking a middle-income trap. Macau Business
• The old-age dependency ratio is expected to surge from 25.8 in 2023 to 77.3 by 2050, meaning that by 2050, each elderly person will be supported by just 1.3 working-age individuals, compared to four in 2023. PubMed Central (PMC)
• Britain's ageing population means a rise to 70 by 2050 will likely be needed to maintain the proportion of people still in work. CPA | The Credit Protection Association
• Albania enters 2025 as an ageing, shrinking nation - with a weaker labour force, heavier fiscal burdens, and declining long-term potential. Blogger
• The reduction in sugar intake could help to tackle diabetes, the most expensive burden on the NHS, reduce obesity and increase life expectancy across the UK. The Conversation
• Ageing-related spending as a share of national income is projected to increase from just below 15% today to 20% in 2050 and to over 25% in 50 years' time. Institute for Fiscal Studies
• Singapore's ageing population will cause some shifts in taxes too. CNA
• As India accelerates investment in infrastructure and urban development, the true measure of Budget 2026 will lie not just in the scale of allocation, but also in the reliability of execution and the longevity of assets being created. The Times Of India
• India's demographic dividend offers growth opportunities, but an ageing population creates economic challenges, demanding stronger policy action ahead. MIT OpenCourseWare

Last updated: 25 June 2026