Record immigration has driven a substantial increase in the population of England and Wales, reaching 60.9 million by mid-2023.
As per Reuters, this marks the largest annual rise in 75 years, according to official data released on Monday.
The Office for National Statistics reported that net international migration surged to 622,000, up from 548,500 the previous year, contributing significantly to the population spike.
Meanwhile, natural population growth, represented by the difference between births and deaths, narrowed to just 400, marking its lowest level since 1978.
Internal migration trends also showed a net movement of 13,800 people from England and Wales to Scotland or Northern Ireland during the period.
Economic indicators, however, painted a contrasting picture. Despite the population surge, preliminary figures indicated that GDP per head in 2023 saw a 0.7% decline compared to the previous year.
The report highlighted that the last time England and Wales experienced such a notable population increase was in 1948, buoyed by a post-World War Two baby boom and the return of British military personnel.
Looking at broader UK demographics, the population stood at 67.6 million in mid-2022, with data for 2023 yet to be released.
Migration patterns underscored significant shifts post-Brexit, with net migration to the UK peaking at 764,000 in 2022 before slightly decreasing to 685,000 in 2023, a figure more than double that seen in 2015, prior to the Brexit referendum.
Meanwhile, the political landscape around immigration policy remains contentious, with pledges from both the Conservative government and the Labour Party, under Prime Minister Keir Starmer, to curb net immigration despite record figures.
