Immigration fuels biggest population rise in 75 years
Immigration fuelled the biggest rise in the population of England and Wales for at least 75 years, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed on Monday.
The population rose by almost 610,000 to 60.9 million between mid-2022 and the middle of last year – the biggest increase since 1949, when comparable records began.
The ONS said the growth was largely down to record levels of net migration, which stood at 622,000 for the year to mid-2023.
The impact of immigration was even more marked because of the negligible growth in the domestic population, owing to a declining birth rate and rising death rate as a result of the ageing population.
The number of births fell by 21,900 to 598,400, while the number of deaths rose by 24,000 to 598,000. This meant the natural change in the population – the difference between births and deaths – dropped to 400, its lowest figure for 46 years.
The data follow figures, released last week, which showed a 34 per cent fall in the number of foreign workers, dependents and students moving to the UK following a visa crackdown announced by Rishi Sunak last year to reduce net migration.
The figures, released by the Home Office, suggest the Government is on course to reduce immigration by 300,000 following measures including bans on foreign workers and students bringing dependents, increases in the skilled worker salary threshold from £26,200 to £38,700 and curbing shortage of occupation visa schemes.
Net migration currently stands at 685,000 for the year ending last December, down from a record high of 764,000 the previous year.
Labour is expected to continue with the legal migration measures introduced by the Conservatives, although there is pressure for relaxation of visa controls from some within the party’s ranks.
The ONS data on Monday showed that 1,084,000 people came to Britain in the year to mid-2023, while 462,000 left, resulting in a net migration of 622,000.
The 610,000 net increase in the population that resulted from the immigration surge beat the previous highs of 584,000, 484,000 and 478,000 in the years to mid-2022, mid-2016 and mid-2011 respectively.
Prior to those years, the biggest increase in the population came in the baby boom year to mid-1962, when it rose by 461,000.
Cardiff, Preston and Middlesbrough were among the areas that saw the biggest population increases, of more than two per cent, in the year to mid-2023. Thirteen areas saw their population decline, including Merthyr Tydfil (-0.5 per cent), Rutland (-1.4 per cent) and Fareham (-0.4 per cent).
The baby boom areas in the year to mid-2023 – based on the population aged under five – were Mid Suffolk, West Suffolk, Melton and Luton, while those with the biggest falls. of more than four per cent. were Rutland, North Norfolk and the Isle of Anglesey.
Luton, Slough and Barking and Dagenham were the “youngest” authorities, with more than 8.5 per cent of their populations aged under five. North Norfolk emerged as the oldest local authority in England and Wales, with 34 per cent of its population aged 65 or older.