UK records second biggest annual population jump in 75 years

The UK population has grown by more than three-quarters of a million - the second-largest increase in 75 years.

Most of the increase was due to international migration, with natural change - the difference between births and deaths - accounting for only a small proportion.

A record 69.3 million people were estimated to be in the UK in mid-2024, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Some 1,235,254 were estimated to have immigrated to the UK in the 12 months to June 2024, while 496,536 were likely to have emigrated - meaning net migration was 738,718.

The overall increase of 755,254 is the second-largest jump since 1949.

It is larger than many UK cities. Leeds, for example, has a population of 750,000.

The ONS estimates that the population has grown faster in England in the year to June 2024 (1.2%) than in Scotland (0.7%), Wales (0.6%) and Northern Ireland (0.4%).

Nigel Henretty, of the ONS, said: "The UK population has increased each year since mid-1982.

"The rate of population increase has been higher in recent years, and the rise seen in the year to mid-2024 represents the second largest annual increase in numerical terms in over 75 years.

"Net international migration continues to be the main driver of this growth, continuing the long-term trend seen since the turn of the century."

There were 662,148 births in the UK in the year to mid-2024 - the lowest for at least 42 years.

Figures also showed there were 645,909 deaths - the lowest since mid-2019, before the COVID pandemic.

A negative natural change, where there are more deaths than births, occurred in Wales and Scotland.

In a global survey published in June, two in five people over 50 said they had not had as many children as they wanted, citing economic issues, health concerns and fears about the state of the world.

More than half said financial factors such as affordable housing, childcare options and job security had limited their ability to grow families.

(c) Sky News 2025: UK records second biggest annual population jump in 75 years