The population of England and Wales grew by 706,900 in the year to mid-2024, reaching an estimated 61.8 million, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The 1.2% rise, which mirrors growth rates over the previous two years, marks the second-largest annual increase in numerical terms for more than 75 years.
The ONS said the growth was driven primarily by net international migration, which contributed 690,100 to the total – down on the previous year but still the dominant factor.
Births and deaths continued to decline over the period. The 596,000 births recorded – 2,400 fewer than the previous year – marked the lowest total since 2002, while deaths fell by 32,000 to 566,000, the lowest since before the Covid-19 pandemic. Natural change, the difference between births and deaths, contributed an increase of just 30,000 to the population.
HOUSING SUPPLY
Growth rates were highest in the City of London (11.1%), Oadby and Wigston (3.1%) and Preston (2.9%). The Isles of Scilly (-2.8%), Kensington and Chelsea (-1.4%) and Lambeth (-0.6%) recorded the steepest falls.
The surge in population is likely to intensify pressure on already strained housing supply, particularly in fast-growing urban areas.
Analysts warn that limited new stock, combined with rising demand from new arrivals, could further push up rents and house prices in parts of the country.
This is expected to drive greater competition in the housing market and could translate into increased mortgage demand, as first-time buyers and home movers struggle to secure properties in a tightening market.
NEW HOMES
The figures will add further pressure on ministers to meet the government’s target of delivering 300,000 new homes a year in England, a goal that has consistently been missed in recent years despite rising demand.
Nigel Henretty of the ONS says: “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.”
