Immigration helped boost Britain’s population to nearly 66.8 million despite the country seeing its lowest birth rate in 14 years, figures reveal.
New arrivals were a significant factor in a population increase of 361,000 by the end of June 2019, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS) data.
But despite the increase – roughly equivalent to the size of Leicester – the country’s population grew at its slowest rate for 15 years between the middle of 2018 and 2019 due to the lowest number of births for 14 years, along with an increase in emigration.
Net migration had dropped to 231,000 – a reduction of 44,000 – but still accounted for roughly 64.2 per cent of the population rise.
Since 2016, the UK’s population growth has been slow, largely attributed to lower natural change (the balance between births and deaths) and lower net migration
New arrivals were a significant factor in a population increase of 361,000 by the end of June 2019, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS) data (pictured: Heathrow Airport)
Executive director of Migration Watch UK, Ben Greening, told The Times: ‘A population rise equal to Leicester in the space of a year is not slow but eye-watering.’
He added that the increase was ‘turbocharged by excessive immigration’ and Britain was now ‘one of the most congested and crowded countries in Europe’.
Britain’s population density rose from 244 people per square kilometre in 2001 to 275 by the middle of last year – while London saw an increase of 4,658 per square kilometre to 5,701 between 2001 and 2019.
The number of births, totaling 722,000, is the lowest such figure since 2005. ONS figures show a five per cent reduction in deaths to 593,000, meaning natural change accounts for roughly 35.4 per cent of the increase.
Executive director of Population Matters, Robert Maynard, said the figures were ‘welcome’, especially the drop in birthrate.
‘We know the rate of conceptions is going down and the average age of mothers is going up,’ he said.
The number of people moving to the UK long-term from non-EU countries is at its highest level on record. File photo,Oxford Street in London
Some 379,000 people came to the UK from non-EU countries, according to the estimates for the year to September 2019. Non-EU net migration – the difference between immigration and emigration – has gradually increased since 2013 to 250,000, the highest level since 2004
Non-EU net migration – the difference between immigration and emigration – has risen since 2013, while EU net migration has decreased since 2016
‘This in many ways reflects good news for society and particularly women, such as more women participating in higher education and decreased rates of teenage pregnancy.’
Neil Park, a statistician for the ONS, wrote: ‘The population grew at the slowest rate for 15 years between mid-2018 and mid-2019.
‘This is due to the lowest number of births for 14 years alongside an increase in emigration and a fall in international immigration.’
The population increase figures come amid three years of slow growth.
The most recent figures pinpointing where migrants were arriving from were collated in February.
They showed the number of people moving to Britain from outside the European Union at its highest level on record.
Some 379,000 people came to the UK from non-EU countries, according to the estimates for the year to September 2019.
At the same time there has been a year-on-year rise in estimated non-EU net migration of 26,000 to 250,000 – which is at its highest level since 2004.
The number of non-EU citizens leaving Britain over the same period has remained broadly stable for about six years now and is now at 129,000.