Overview
- The Office for National Statistics' mid-2025 estimates, published July 29, 2026, put the combined population at about 62.0 million, an annual rise of roughly 224,000 or 0.4 percent.
- Net international migration plunged to 211,700 in the year to mid-2025 from 612,500 the year before, and ONS said migration remains the main driver of recent population change.
- Births fell to 588,000, the fewest since 1978, while deaths were 568,400, leaving only a very small natural increase in the population.
- The oldest age groups have grown sharply, with about 15,172 centenarians and 709 people aged 105 or over, increasing pressure on pensions, health services and social care workforces.
- Around one in four local areas lost population, London and Wales recorded declines, and political leaders have begun cross-party talks as ministers signal that fully funded social care reforms may require difficult fiscal choices.