40 years, 8 months and 2 weeks – the age we stop feeling young

THE exact age at which we should stop calling ourselves young is 40 years, eight months and two weeks, according to a survey.

The study, for the Department for Work and Pensions, also revealed that people believe old age begins at the age of 59 years, two months and two weeks.

But there are stark variations in views between sexes and age groups. Men say being young stops at 38 and a half. For women the cut-off is delayed until 42 years, nine months and three months.

Old age, according to women, begins at 60 years, four months and two weeks. But for men, it is much earlier – at 58. The gap may be down to men placing more emphasis on diminishing strength as a mark of ageing, or because women tend to live longer.

The under- 50s said old age begins at 46 years and nine months. For those aged 50-plus, old age starts at 62 years, seven months and two weeks.

While 16- to 24-year- olds said being young ends at 32, those aged 80-plus said 52. This is not far short of when the youngest group said old age begins – 54.

The unemployed said being young ends nine years earlier than those with full time jobs. People who lived in council houses tended to believe old age started five years earlier than those who owned their home outright.

The poll spoke to 2,171 people aged 16 or over. The Department for Work and Pensions said the disparity in views showed ‘the potential for age stereotypes to be applied in very inconsistent ways’.

Ros Altmann, of Saga, said: ‘These surveys show that the older you get, the later you think old age begins.

‘Youngsters tend to think people who are older are not up to much. It’s just not true.’