Population of England and Wales reaches record 62million despite more than 600,000 people emigrating abroad – while births hit lowest level since 1978

The population of England and Wales is estimated to have reached 62 million for the first time, despite the emigration of more than 604,000 people under Labor.

Figures reveal an increase in population of 224,000 in the year to June 2025; This is equivalent to growth of just under half a percent.

A total of 816,500 people arrived in England and Wales from overseas, compared with 604,800, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Overall, net international migration fell sharply to 211,700 by mid-2024 from 612,500 in the year.

The number of births fell to 588,000, the lowest number since 1978, a decrease of 8,000 compared to 2024. The number of deaths was not far off from births (568,400).

As a result, population growth was mostly driven by international migration, although the rate of increase was the slowest since 2020 due to a decline in net migration.

Population increases were recorded in all parts of England except London, where the population decreased by 0.29 per cent due to an increase in the number of residents moving to other parts of England.

The local authority with the highest annual population growth was Rugby in Warwickshire (2.4%), while the Isles of Scilly led the population decline (down 3.5%), followed by Camden in north London (down 1.8%).

In an indication of how long people are living, official data revealed there were around 15,172 people over the age of 100 in England and Wales last year.

This figure was 14,635 (3.7%) in 2024 and 12,472 (21.6%) in 2015.

The number of people aged 105 and over increased by more than a third (34 percent), from 529 to 709 in 2024.

ONS data also predicts there were 581,400 people aged 90 and over last year; This figure was 564,300 (3%) the previous year and 500,000 (16.3%) in 2015.

Men now make up 34.1 percent of the population over the age of 90 and 18.8 percent of the population over the age of 100. For every man over the age of 100, there were 4.3 women.

Official statistics highlight the extent to which England and Wales are becoming an aging population, with adults having fewer children and people living longer due to advances in medicine and living standards.

Nigel Henretty, ONS, said: ‘Immigration has been a key driver of population change in England and Wales over the last quarter of a century. Although this remains the case, the recent decline in migration has led to the lowest population growth since the peak of the epidemic.

‘London saw its first population fall since 2021 and Wales’ population fell for the first time in a decade.’

Britain’s aging population is one factor behind the crisis in the social care system that Andy Burnham has vowed to fix.

The Prime Minister hosted cross-party talks on the issue today; but neither Kemi Badenoch nor Ed Davey were able to attend after only 18 hours’ notice.

Mr Burnham stressed that social care reforms would be ‘fully funded’ and added that the first thing to do would be to ‘do more with what we have’.

But he signaled potential tax increases, saying any reforms would require ‘difficult decisions’.

Asked by ITV whether the Government could transform social care without increasing taxes, he said: ‘I’ll start by saying it’s an issue of standards within organizations and today we’re at a standard that meets the highest standards, but we also know that care varies between different organisations.

‘There is good in all sectors, I said at the beginning, but in this sector too there is profiteering and at times unnecessary and dangerous cost cutting at the expense of vulnerable people and this is fundamentally unacceptable.’

He added: ‘I think more is possible with the resources available and I think the things I talked about today, particularly around workforce, will be fully funded…

‘So first of all I think you need to do more with what you have. But I think Louise (Casey) pointed out that some of the things we would literally want to do would require difficult, difficult decisions.

‘But we will be honest with people about these issues. ‘We will put these before the country at the right time and hopefully move forward with the consent of the people.’