Population of England and Wales Surges by Over 700,000

LONDON, England — The population of England and Wales has grown by more than 700,000 in the year leading up to June 2024, marking the second-largest increase in over 75 years, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

As of mid-2024, the estimated population stands at 61.8 million, a rise from 61.1 million the previous year. This growth is primarily attributed to international migration, while natural change, defined as the difference between births and deaths, contributed only a small fraction to the increase.

Nigel Henretty of the ONS highlighted a continuing trend, stating, “Net international migration continues to be the main driver of this growth, continuing the long-term trend seen since the turn of the century.” In fact, net international migration accounted for 690,147 of the total estimated increase of 706,881 people, representing about 98% of the overall growth.

The increase is noted as the second-largest numerical jump since 1949, the year when comparable data began. The only larger increase occurred from mid-2022 to mid-2023, which saw a rise of 821,210.

Additionally, the figures indicate that there were slightly more births than deaths in the year leading to the estimate, contributing an additional 29,982 people to the population. However, there was also a net decrease in internal migration, which reflects people moving from England and Wales to other parts of the UK.

Population data has shown a consistent annual increase since mid-1982, yet the rates of growth have become more pronounced in recent years.