Overview
- The ONS estimates the UK population was about 66.7 million in mid‑2020 and just under 69.5 million in mid‑2025, with the 2025 figure provisional.
- From the year ending June 2021 to June 2025, immigration totalled 5.6 million and net migration 2.7 million, with the ONS advising caution when comparing figures across June 2021 due to methodology changes.
- Prime Minister Keir Starmer called Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s remarks offensive and wrong, Nigel Farage highlighted what he called unprecedented mass immigration, and Ratcliffe apologised for his language while urging controlled, well‑managed immigration.
- DWP data show 8,400,344 people in Britain were on Universal Credit in December 2025, plus 233,170 in Northern Ireland as of August 2025, indicating at least about 8.6 million claimants UK‑wide late last year.
- Of Britain’s 8.4 million Universal Credit claimants, 2.2 million were in work, 4.2 million were not required to work, 1.5 million were looking for work, and just under 0.5 million were planning or preparing for work.