UK sees biggest two-year population jump in 75 years, fuelled almost entirely by migration
Between June 2023 and June 2024, the population rose by 706,881 to an estimated 61.8 million
- Jul 31, 2025,
- Updated Jul 31, 2025 12:37 PM IST
England and Wales have recorded their second-largest annual population increase in over 75 years, driven almost entirely by migration, according to new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Between June 2023 and June 2024, the population rose by 706,881 to an estimated 61.8 million.
Of that total, net migration accounted for 690,147 people. The ONS reported that 1,142,303 individuals arrived in England and Wales during the 12-month period, while 452,156 left. A small portion of the increase came from natural change, the difference between births and deaths.
The rise follows an even larger increase of 821,210 in the previous year. Combined, the population has grown by more than 1.5 million in just two years, marking the highest two-year growth since comparable records began in 1949.
“The population of England and Wales has increased each year since mid-1982,” said Nigel Henretty of the ONS. “Net international migration continues to be the main driver of this growth, continuing the long-term trend seen since the turn of the century.”
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer reiterated his promise to reduce immigration, vowing to implement stricter controls. His proposals include banning the recruitment of overseas care workers, raising English proficiency requirements, and tightening rules for skilled worker visas.
In a speech earlier this year, Starmer said immigration was inflicting “incalculable damage” and warned that the UK risked becoming an “island of strangers,” as reported by The Independent.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage reacted strongly to the new data, calling the population surge “disastrous for the quality of life for everyone in the country.” He warned it placed “impossible pressures on public services and further divides our communities.”
Migration has steadily overtaken natural change as the dominant contributor to population growth since the late 1990s. The ONS data confirms that this trend has not only persisted but intensified, reshaping the demographic landscape of England and Wales.
England and Wales have recorded their second-largest annual population increase in over 75 years, driven almost entirely by migration, according to new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Between June 2023 and June 2024, the population rose by 706,881 to an estimated 61.8 million.
Of that total, net migration accounted for 690,147 people. The ONS reported that 1,142,303 individuals arrived in England and Wales during the 12-month period, while 452,156 left. A small portion of the increase came from natural change, the difference between births and deaths.
The rise follows an even larger increase of 821,210 in the previous year. Combined, the population has grown by more than 1.5 million in just two years, marking the highest two-year growth since comparable records began in 1949.
“The population of England and Wales has increased each year since mid-1982,” said Nigel Henretty of the ONS. “Net international migration continues to be the main driver of this growth, continuing the long-term trend seen since the turn of the century.”
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer reiterated his promise to reduce immigration, vowing to implement stricter controls. His proposals include banning the recruitment of overseas care workers, raising English proficiency requirements, and tightening rules for skilled worker visas.
In a speech earlier this year, Starmer said immigration was inflicting “incalculable damage” and warned that the UK risked becoming an “island of strangers,” as reported by The Independent.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage reacted strongly to the new data, calling the population surge “disastrous for the quality of life for everyone in the country.” He warned it placed “impossible pressures on public services and further divides our communities.”
Migration has steadily overtaken natural change as the dominant contributor to population growth since the late 1990s. The ONS data confirms that this trend has not only persisted but intensified, reshaping the demographic landscape of England and Wales.