The population of England and Wales has risen by its highest annual rate in 75 years after the arrival of more than one million people from overseas in 12 months, official figures revealed today.
The Office for National Statistics said that an extra 610,000 people had been added to the two countries during the year ending in mid-2023 to give a total population of 60.9 million.
It said that migration was the main reason for the population surge, with 1.084 million arrivals from abroad counterbalanced by the departure of only 462,000 in the opposite direction — giving a net inflow of 622,000.
By contrast, births and deaths of existing residents were almost exactly equal, with only 400 more newborns during the year than the number dying.
The movement of people to Scotland or Northern Ireland resulted in a small drop of 13,000 in the overall population of England and Wales.
But despite this, the statisticians said that population growth had still been the highest since 1948 when a large inflow of soldiers from overseas duties after the end of the Second World War and a baby boom in the wake of the conflict added 1.5 million people.
The statisticians added the population of England has since increased by seven per cent between 2013 and 2023, amounting to an extra 3,772,000 people.
London’s population also rose last year by 76,266 people, taking the capital’s overall total to 8.95 million, with the capital experiencing the higher levels of inward migration than other parts of the country. London also had more births than deaths.
But an exodus of existing residents of the capital to other parts of England and Wales pushed London’s rate of population increase down to 0.9 per cent, making it one of the slowest growing regions in the country.
Commenting on today’s figures, the ONS said: “The record levels of international migration in recent years have been the main driver of population growth. But the year to mid-2023 also saw an increased number of deaths, expected in an ageing and growing population, as well as the lowest number of births since 2002.”
The main focus of debate after today’s figures will, however, be on the impact of the recent record levels of migration, including on demand for housing.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper have both vowed to reduce the net inflow, although reforms introduced by the previous Conservative government were only anticipated to bring the total down to around half its recent peak.
Other details in today’s report by the statisticians show there were 31,019,000 females and 29,836,000 males in the population of England and Wales at mid-2023.
More men than women arrived as a result of international migration and there were also more male births than female, with 307,000 boys born, compared with only 291,000 girls.
