Population Estimates for The UK, England And Wales, Scotland And Northern Ireland: Mid-2018

The UK population growth is stalling shows new data from the Office of National Statistics

The population of the UK in mid-2018 was estimated to be 66,436,000.

The UK population grew by 0.6% between mid-2017 and mid-2018, the same rate of growth as in the previous year; growth in the years to mid-2017 and mid-2018 was slower than in any year since mid-2004.

In the year to mid-2018, there were fewer births (negative 2%) and more deaths (positive 3%) than in the last year; natural change was at its lowest since 2004.

Net international migration in the year to mid-2018 was 275,000, which was 6,000 higher than the average for the past five years and 45,000 higher than last year.

In the 12 months to mid-2018, the four local authorities with the fastest-growing populations were all in central London (City of London, Westminster, Camden and Tower Hamlets); the relatively high level of population growth in these areas is partly a reflection of the increase in net international migration between mid-2017 and mid-2018.

Neil Park, Head of Population Estimates Unit, Office for National Statistics said:

“In the last two years population growth in the UK has been at its lowest rate since 2004.

“For the fifth year in a row, net international migration was a bigger driver of population change than births and deaths.

“However, overall population change to the year mid-2018 has remained fairly stable as an increase in net international migration has been roughly matched by the fewest births in over a decade and the highest number of deaths since the turn of the century.”

ABC Comment, have your say below: