UK population rises to 68.3 million, driven by immigration
Britain’s population increased by 1% in annual terms, reaching 68.3 million as of mid-2023, largely due to significant immigration, according to the latest data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on Tuesday.
Net international migration emerged as the primary driver of this population surge across all four countries of the UK—England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The ONS reported that the natural population change, defined as the difference between births and deaths, recorded a decline of 16,300, a surprising development that contradicts previous projections indicating that a negative natural change would not occur until the mid-2030s.
The surge in immigration has been attributed to a mix of economic migrants and those arriving through irregular channels, a contentious issue amidst ongoing discussions about the strain on public services due to years of under-investment. The population of England and Wales alone rose by 610,000—the largest annual increase in 75 years. For context, net migration to Britain was 329,000 in 2015, the year prior to the Brexit referendum.
Regionally, England and Wales experienced the fastest growth at 1%, compared to Scotland’s 0.8% and Northern Ireland’s 0.5% increase, according to the ONS.
Changes to visa policies following Brexit saw a sharp decline in European Union migrants while simultaneously leading to a rise in immigration from countries like India, Nigeria, and Pakistan, primarily to address shortages in health and social care sectors.
The immigration debate intensified in August when far-right groups staged protests against migrants, presenting a challenge to the newly elected Labour government led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Since taking office in July, Starmer has abandoned the previous Conservative government’s controversial plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, pledging a more pragmatic approach to illegal migration.
As the government grapples with the implications of rising immigration, the population growth reflects ongoing changes in Britain’s demographic landscape and the complexities of its immigration policies.
