The population of England and Wales is estimated to have increased by more than 700,000 people in the year to June 2024, marking the second-largest annual rise in over three-quarters of a century.
Almost all of the increase of 706,881 people was due to international migration, with natural changes – more births than deaths – accounting for only a small proportion, official data shows.
The rise in the 12 months to June 2024 is the second biggest year-on-year numerical jump in population since at least 1949, which is the earliest comparable Office of National Statistics (ONS) data.
It is behind only the 821,210 that took place in the preceding 12 months from mid-2022 to mid-2023.
This means the population of England and Wales is estimated to have grown by 1.5 million between June 2022 and June 2024: the largest two-year jump since current records began.
There were an estimated 61.8 million people in England and Wales in mid-2024, up 706,881 from 61.1 million in mid-2023, according to the ONS.
Net international migration – the difference between people moving to the country and leaving – was the “main driver” of the jump in population and accounted for 98% (690,147) of the increase.
The number of people living in England and Wales has risen annually since mid-1982, with migration contributing most to population growth every year since mid-1999. Before then, increases were caused mainly by natural change.
Nigel Henretty of the ONS said: “The population of England and Wales has increased each year since mid-1982.
“The rate of population increase has been higher in recent years, and the rise seen in the year to mid-2024 represents the second largest annual increase in numerical terms in over 75 years.
“Net international migration continues to be the main driver of this growth, continuing the long-term trend seen since the turn of the century.”
An estimated 1,142,303 people immigrated to England and Wales in the 12 months to June 2024, while 452,156 are thought to have emigrated, resulting in a net migration figure of 690,147.
This is a decline on the previous year, to June 2023, when net migration was estimated at 833,696.
The reduction is likely the result of fewer foreign nationals from outside the EU arriving on work and study visas, alongside a rise in students departing after completing their courses.
Migration rule changes implemented in 2024 under the former Conservative government included limits on international students bringing family members to the UK and a ban on overseas care workers bringing dependants.
There were slightly more births (596,012) than deaths (566,030) in England and Wales in the year to June 2024, contributing 29,982 to the overall population.
By contrast, internal migration out of the two nations to elsewhere in the UK exceeded inbound movement (56,300 leaving versus 42,693 arriving), resulting in a net internal migration loss of 13,607.
Overall, the population of England and Wales grew by an estimated 1.2 per cent in the year to June 2024—down slightly from 1.4 per cent the previous year but above the 1.0 per cent seen in the year to mid-2022.
This remains higher than the average for the past decade, which stood at 0.7 per cent.
England experienced a faster growth rate in the 12 months to mid-2024 at 1.2 per cent, compared with 0.6 per cent in Wales.
Regionally, annual growth varied from 1.4 per cent in north-west England to 1.0 per cent in London.
Natural change in the year to mid-2024 increased the size of the population in four regions: London, south-east England, the West Midlands and eastern England.
The other regions had negative natural change, which reflects “a long-term decline in fertility and an increasing number of deaths because of the growing proportion of older people”, the ONS said.
London had the highest rates of natural change and net international migration, but these were partially offset by net outward internal migration to other UK countries or regions in England.
