Ageing Population Strategies - Population Change - Geography GCSE

France is encouraging people to have more children in order to make a more balanced dependency ratio.

Couples are given a range of incentives:

• Three years of paid parental leave for either mother or fathers
• If the parental leave is not wanted, there is day care subsided by the government 
• Full-time schooling from the age of three, fully paid for by the government
• The more children a woman has, the earlier she will be able to retire on full pension

Some women may not choose to retire early, as a pension is less than a salary.

Dealing with ageing:

• The state pension age rose from 65 to 67
• There has been money set aside for care of the elderly, such as
  -winter fuel allowance
  -free flu jabs for elderly

Dealing with low fertility rates: 

• There are many pro natal policies which are designed to boost the fertility rate, including:
  - child benefits
  - improved maternity leave for women and men
• There is unlimited immigration from the EU
• There is controlled immigration from elsewhere