UK Lowers Population Growth Estimate as Immigration Slows

The United Kingdom’s population is likely to grow to 71.0 million by mid-2034, below a previous projection of 72.2 million due to lower immigration assumptions, the country’s statistics office said ​on Tuesday.

Net immigration looks set to add 2.2 million people to the UK’s population of ​69.3 million between mid-2024 and mid-2034, while there would be a drag of 450,000 ⁠from deaths exceeding births, the Office for National Statistics said.

{snip}

The ONS also trimmed its assumption for fertility to 1.42 children per woman from 1.45 in its last projections made two years ago.

There was a more substantial cut to the ONS’ assumption for future rates of ​net immigration to 230,000 a ​year from 340,000 in ⁠the 2024 report.

{snip}

After net immigration approached 1 million in the 12 months to June 2023, rules were tightened and it fell to 204,000 in ⁠the 12 ​months to June 2025.

{snip}