Office for National Statistics (ONS) has been working to improve the way information about migration is gathered and processed. Following some of this work, quality assurance checks have revealed an issue with data gathered recently for the next quarterly migration report, which ONS is now investigating.

Publication of the report on long-term migration for the year ending December 2017, currently scheduled for 24 May 2018, has therefore been postponed. The release of the short-term migration figures on the same day is unaffected.

On 24 May 2018, ONS will provide a full update on its overall programme of work to enhance and extend the official migration statistics. This will include the confirmed publication date of the postponed figures.

Note to Editors: Migration statistical publications scheduled for 24 May 2018 and which will go ahead as planned are:

  • ONS - Population of the UK by country of birth and nationality: 2017

  • ONS - Short-Term International Migration for England and Wales: year ending June 2016

  • Home Office - Immigration Statistics, January to March 2018

  • DWP - National Insurance Number allocations to adult overseas nationals to March 2018