Investigating the longevity dividend

Every country around the world is set to see an increase in the share of its population aged over 65. That leads to concerns about the negative macroeconomic consequences of an ageing society. But at the same time, life expectancy trends mean that we are living longer and are on average in good health for longer. That should be good news for the economy.

In the spring of 2022, as part of the research programme and supported by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) grant and the MacArthur Foundation Research Network on an Aging Society, London Business School hosted four days of conference in partnership with the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics and the National University of Singapore.

The conference attracted a range of thinkers and policymakers from a range of disciplines and perspectives to discuss related issues around longevity and ageing.

The conference focused on a range of topics:

- What is needed to encourage innovation in the pharmaceutical sector and what lessons could be learnt from Covid?

- How should the economy respond to longer lives and seize advantages as well as avoid the costs of an ageing society?

- How can society introduce policies now and support healthy ageing for all?

The conference steering committee consisted of Andrew J Scott (London Business School), Laura Carstensen (Stanford Center on Longevity), Dana Goldman (USC Schaeffer Center), John W Rowe (MacArthur Foundation Research Network on an Aging Society).

For a free download of the conference, themes and discussions please click here.

For a recent insight into Professor Scott’s work on longevity, read ‘We have to invest much more in our future selves’ (‘Economists Exchange’, FT, June 1, 2023)