The population of the UK is set to grow slightly more slowly than previously thought, according to new figures.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the number of people living in the country would climb from 69.3million in 2024 to an estimated 71million by 2034 – 1.2million lower than in previous predictions.
Net migration will remain the only source of population growth, the ONS said, adding 2.2million to the population over the decade.
At the same time ‘natural change’ - the number of births minus deaths – is projected to be minus 450,000.
The official statistics body calculated the UK’s population will peak at 72.5 million in mid-2054, and then begin to fall.
‘The population of England is projected to peak at 62.1million in mid‑2056, while Wales is projected to peak at 3.2million in mid‑2035, Scotland at 5.6million in mid‑2033, and Northern Ireland at 1.9million in mid‑2031,’ the ONS said.
‘Over the 10 years to mid-2034, England’s population is projected to grow more quickly than other UK nations, at 2.9 per cent.
‘The projected population growth for Wales (1.0 per cent), Northern Ireland (0.6 per cent), and Scotland (0.3 per cent) is slower in this period.’
New data from the Office for National Statistics projects the number of people living in the country will to an estimated 71million by 2034, at a slower rate than previously thought
The decline in the overall projection is due to a significant dip in net migration.
The Conservative government introduced a number of changes to visa rules which began to be implemented in spring 2024, leading to a sharp fall in net migration.
The ONS said it was assuming net migration would continue at 230,000 a year, down from the 340,000 a year figure used in its previous calculations.
This is a breaking story. More follows.