Overview

• The population of England and Wales reached 61.8 million by mid-2024, an increase of 706,900 people since the previous year.
• Net international migration contributed 690,147 people, accounting for 98% of the annual rise.
• Natural change added just under 30,000 people as births slightly outnumbered deaths during the same period.
• Following visa restrictions under the former Conservative government, net migration fell to 431,000 in the year ending December 2024 but remains high by historical standards.
• ONS projections predict the UK population will reach 72.5 million by mid-2032 if migration stabilizes at 340,000 annually, leading ministers to ban overseas care-worker recruitment and tighten visa criteria.