You asked

I wanted to get some information dating back from 1950's (if possible) to present. I am particularly interested in the age, gender and ethnicity of the population.

I would like to know, annually;

  1. The population by age in the UK from or between 1950 until now - 2017
  2. The population by age, gender and ethnicity in the UK from or between 1950 until now - 2017
  3. The employment rate with ethnicity and age in the UK from or between 1950 until now - 2017
  4. The EU and Non EU Migration split with age in the UK from or between 1950 until now - 2017

We said

Thank you for your query, which I will break down into sections for clarity.

  1. The best single source to answer your first question is published here on the ONS website: https://www.ons.gov.uk/file?uri=/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/datasets/populationestimatesforukenglandandwalesscotlandandnorthernireland/mid2015/ukandregionalpopulationestimates18382015.zip

    This gives a total population for the UK from 1851 onwards, quinary (5 year) age breakdown from 1953 - 1970 and a single year of age breakdown from 1971 to the most recent data available (2015).

  2. We do not currently publish estimates of population by ethnicity. The most recent published data for England and Wales only, covering the period 2001-2009 can be found here: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20160105160709/http://ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm%3A77-50029

    Unfortunately this does not cover the majority of the time period you have requested, and does not cover the UK as a whole. Census estimates published every ten years will give snapshots of the population by ethnicity (for 1991, 2001 and 2011) but will not provide a complete time series.

    The most recent published census data on ethnicity is derived from the 2011 census and can be found here: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20160105160709/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/census/analysis/ethnicity--national-identity--language-and-religion/index.html

  3. Estimates of employment by age group are available back to 1992 at Dataset A05: https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/datasets/employmentunemploymentandeconomicinactivitybyagegroupseasonallyadjusteda05sa

    Estimates of employment by ethnicity are available back to 2001 at Dataset A09: https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/datasets/labourmarketstatusbyethnicgroupa09

    Earlier data is not available from ONS.

  4. Table 3.05b of the International Passenger Survey provides a breakdown of international migration by age group and citizenship for 1975 - 2015. No data on international migration flows broken down by EU /Non-EU split or age is available before 1975.

    https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/internationalmigration/datasets/internationalpassengersurveycitizenshipbyagetable305b

If you require any further information please contact our Population Statistics stakeholder engagement team (pop.info@ons.gov.uk) who will be happy to help.