Immigration Forecast to Add 6.1 Million to UK Population by 2036

Immigration is expected to add 6.1 million people to the UK population by mid-2036, according to official projections that add pressure on British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak over a sensitive issue in the run-up to an election.

The UK’s population will grow from 67 million in mid-2021 to 73.7 million in mid-2036, driven almost entirely by migration, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) forecast on Tuesday.

Migration has become a dominant political issue in Britain and will figure prominently in a national vote later this year where Sunak’s ruling Conservatives are forecast in opinion polls to lose power.

The projected jump, over the 15-year period, also reflects a projection of 541,000 more births than deaths, the ONS said.

Figures released in November showed annual net migration to the UK hit a record of 745,000 in 2022 and has stayed high since. The ONS projections assume a net migration level of 315,000 people annually from the year ending mid-2028 onwards.

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