The second highest yearly population growth in England and Wales was driven by immigration since theSecond World Warlast year, official data revealed.
The number of residents is believed to have increased by over 700,000 during the year ending in June 2024, marking the second highest yearly rise since data collection started in 1949.
It was surpassed only by the 821,210 rise in population over the 12 months ending in mid-2023, with growth in both periods mainly due to unprecedented increases in the number of migrants arriving in Britain.
The net international migration, which refers to the difference between individuals entering the country and those departing, contributed to 98 percent of the projected population growth of 706,881 people.
Approximately 61.8 million individuals were recorded in England and Wales as of mid-2024, reflecting an increase from 61.1 million in mid-2023, as reported by the Office for National Statistics.ONS).
Approximately 1,142,303 individuals were reported to have arrived in England and Wales as immigrants during the 12-month period ending in June 2024, according to the data, with 452,156 people estimated to have left the country.
Politicians cautioned that the significant population increase driven by immigration was unmanageable and would impose excessive strain on housing and public services.
Leader of Reform UK, Nigel Farage, stated: 'These statistics are terrible for the standard of living across the nation. They impose unmanageable strains on public services and deepen the divisions within our society.'
The deputy leader of Reform, Richard Tice, called the statistics 'very worrying,' stating they 'carry significant consequences for the housing shortage, crime levels, and standard of living throughout Britain.'
"The UK cannot gain advantages from, or manage such large amounts of unverified, low-skilled immigration," he stated.
We require economic strategies that aid British households, promote increased birth rates, and guarantee that the needs of the British people are prioritized.
The ONS data also indicated a reduction in the number of births and deaths during the year ending mid-2024, when compared to the prior year.
Births numbered 596,012, slightly exceeding deaths at 566,030 during the year ending in mid-2024, resulting in a net increase of 29,982 people.
The fastest population growth was recorded in the City of London (11.1 percent), Oadby and Wigston (3.1 percent), and Preston (2.9 percent).
The highest rates of population decline were recorded in the Isles of Scilly (-2.8 percent), Kensington and Chelsea (-1.4 percent), and Lambeth (-0.6 percent).
Nigel Henretty from the ONS stated: 'The population of England and Wales has risen every year since mid-1982.'
The pace of population growth has been greater in recent years, with the increase recorded in the year up to mid-2024 being the second highest annual rise in numbers in more than 75 years.
Net international migration remains the primary factor behind this increase, following the long-standing pattern observed since the start of the 21st century.
Net international migration was favorable in all local authorities across England and Wales, with the exception of South Holland in Lincolnshire.
The data reveals that without net migration, the population in a third of all local authorities would have decreased.
Birmingham experienced the highest net international migration. It saw an increase of 24,235 residents, with 39,000 individuals moving into the city from abroad between mid-2023 and mid-2024, while 14,000 people departed.
Newham, located in London, experienced the highest level of international migration relative to its current population, with 4.7 per cent.
This year, the overall UK population surpassed France's for the first time in history when it reached 68.3 million by mid-2023.
The Office for National Statistics has forecast that the UK's population will reach 73.7 million by mid-2036, surpassing the 70 million threshold a decade earlier than previously estimated.
These estimates suggest that net migration will decrease in the coming years from a high of approximately 670,000 in the 12 months ending June 2023, eventually stabilizing at 315,000 annually from 2028 onward.
Tory deputy Home Office minister Katie Lam stated that the ONS figures indicate the population is increasing at 'an unsustainable rate,' which is 'largely due to record immigration levels.'
This isn't focused on figures in a spreadsheet, but rather on the strain on housing, NHS waiting times, school spots, and salaries, as well as community and our culture," she stated. "Britain is simply not able to plan or construct quickly enough to keep up.
She stated: 'We need to protect our borders and establish a just and long-term immigration system that benefits the British population.'
However, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper stated that the data "confirm the reality of the Tory legacy in terms of immigration."
She stated: "Their unsuccessful open borders initiative led to a fourfold increase in net migration, reaching nearly one million per year in 2023, despite their claim that it would decrease."
Following the election, net migration has dropped significantly, and as part of the Government's Strategy for Reform, we have introduced new policies in the Immigration White Paper and have already revised immigration regulations to reduce net migration even more.
To achieve success, efficiency, and fairness, our immigration system needs to be accurately regulated and handled. From the disorder and shortcomings of the previous Tory administration, this Government aims to provide that.
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