Population estimates for the UK, England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland: mid-2024

The population of the UK continued to grow in the year to mid-2024, reaching an estimated 69.3 million people (69,281,400). The size of the population increased by 755,300 (1.1%) from mid-2023. The population grew faster in England (1.2%) than in Scotland (0.7%), Wales (0.6%) or Northern Ireland (0.4%).

The growth in the UK population represents the second-largest annual numerical increase for over 75 years. These figures reflect revisions for mid-2011 to mid-2023 population estimates following improvements to migration estimates and rebasing of estimates after Scotland's Census 2022.

Figure 1: The size of the UK population continues to grow

Annual population change, UK, mid-1949 to mid-2024

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Changes in the size of the UK population are mainly determined by international migration, births and deaths.

Figure 2: Population growth resulted mostly from net international migration

Components of population change, UK, year to mid-2024

Notes:

1. “Other changes” include changes in armed forces personnel and dependants.

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Although estimated net international migration was lower in the year to mid-2024 compared with the previous year, it continued to contribute most to population growth in all four countries.

International migration

The number of people immigrating to the UK decreased compared with the previous year while the number emigrating from the UK increased. Overall, net international migration declined but continues to remain high compared with historical levels.

We estimate that in the year to mid-2024:

• 1,235,300 people arrived in the UK to live for 12 months or more

• 496,500 people left the UK for at least 12 months

• net international migration to the UK was 738,700

These estimates differ slightly to our provisional UK Long-term international migration estimates dataset. This is because of a different method and data source used in Northern Ireland to produce migration estimates. Read more in Section 11 of the 2024 mid-year population estimates for Northern Ireland bulletin.

Our Long-term international migration estimates bulletin explains how net migration has declined because the number of non-EU+ nationals who arrived on work- and study-related visas decreased compared with earlier years, and more people departed who originally came on study-related visas.

Births and deaths

There was a decrease in both the numbers of births and deaths in the year to mid-2024, compared with the previous year.

We estimate that:

• there were 662,100 births, a decrease of 2,300 compared with mid-2023 and the lowest number for at least 42 years

• there were 645,900 deaths, a decrease of 34,800 compared with mid-2023 and the lowest number since mid-2019 before the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

• natural change, the difference between births and deaths, contributed an increase in the population of 16,200

These estimates differ slightly to other birth and death statistics, which are reported by calendar year.

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The population of the UK has increased each year since mid-1982. The greatest percentage increase over this period (1.3%) was in the year to mid-2023. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic led to smaller population increases in the years ending mid-2020 and mid-2021.

Figure 3: Net migration has contributed most to population growth from mid-1999 except for mid-2012

Components of population change, UK, mid-1982 to mid-2024

Notes:

1. “Net-migration and other” includes international migration, changes in armed forces personnel and dependants, and unattributable population change.

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In all countries of the UK, net international migration contributed most to population growth in the year to mid-2024. The rate of population change from net international migration was highest for England (1.2%) and lowest for Northern Ireland (0.3%) while Scotland and Wales had similar rates (0.8% and 0.7%, respectively). Rates of population change by component are explained in Section 7: Definitions.

Natural change and internal migration contributed less than international migration to the population growth of all countries in the year to mid-2024. They partially offset the increase in population from international migration in two instances:

• for Wales and Scotland, natural change was negative; the population of Wales and Scotland is older on average than the population of England or Northern Ireland, leading to a slightly higher rate of deaths and lower rate of births; the average number of children that are born to women in Wales and Scotland is also lower than the rest of the UK, which contributes to fewer births

• for England and Northern Ireland, internal migration was negative; there was a small net outflow of people migrating to the rest of the UK

Figure 4: The contribution from each component of population change varies by country

Population change, England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, mid-2002 to mid-2024

Notes:

1. Rates are expressed as negatives where their impact is to reduce the population size.

2. “Other changes”, which includes changes in armed forces personnel and dependants, and unattributable population change are small and not displayed.

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The age structure of the population is determined by the patterns of births, deaths and migration in previous years. The sizes of population cohorts at different ages vary.

The number of people aged 65 years and over increased in all countries, in the year to mid-2024. This continues the long-term trend of an ageing population. The number increased by:

• 2.0% in both Scotland and Northern Ireland

• 1.8% in England

• 1.5% in Wales

The population aged 16 to 64 years also increased in all countries at a slightly slower rate, in the same period. The number of people aged 15 years and under increased in England by 0.6%, but decreased in Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland, by 0.9%, 0.7% and 0.1%, respectively.

Figure 5: Population by single year of age and sex, England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, mid-2020 to mid-2024

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The median (average) age increased in all UK countries over the decade 2011 to 2021. Following this, the median age decreased slightly in all UK countries to mid-2024, except Northern Ireland where it has continued to rise. The median age in mid-2024 was:

• 42.8 years in both Scotland and Wales

• 40.3 years in Northern Ireland

• 40.2 years in England

Revisions to population estimates for mid-2022 and mid-2023, England and Wales

Mid-2022 and mid-2023 population estimates for England and Wales were revised in July 2025 to include improved international and internal migration estimates. Information on the impact of the revisions is available in Section 5 of the Population estimates for England and Wales: mid-2024 bulletin.

Revisions to population estimates for mid-2011 to mid-2023, Scotland

Mid-2011 to mid-2022 population estimates were rebased in July 2024 following Scotland's Census 2022 and then revised in January 2025 to include the latest international migration estimates. Information on the impact of these revisions is available in Rebased population estimates, Scotland, mid-2011 to mid-2021.

Mid-2023 population estimates for Scotland were revised in August 2025 to include the latest international migration estimates. Information on the impact of these revisions is available in the background notes of Mid-year population estimates for Scotland: mid-2024.

We are aiming for Admin-based population estimates (ABPEs) to become the official mid-year population estimates for England and Wales in 2026. The ABPEs were released alongside the accredited official Population estimates in July 2025.

Population estimates for the UK are created by aggregating the official mid-year estimates for each country. Estimates for the UK will be compiled using ABPEs for England and Wales when they become the official population estimate. The National Records of Scotland (NRS) and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) are also investigating alternative methods and data sources for producing population estimates. The NRS has published research on Administrative data based population, household and ethnicity estimates, and NISRA has also published Research into using administrative data for population estimates.

We are all sharing information to support each other's work, in line with the Concordat on Statistics and its supplementary Statement of agreement. By taking similar approaches, we will be able to maximise the coherence of UK estimates.

Components of change

The factors that contribute to population change. This includes births and deaths (commonly referred to as natural change) and net migration. Migration includes movements of people between countries of the UK and the rest of the world (international migration) and between the UK countries (internal migration). 

EU+ migration

Refers to the migration of people from all current EU countries plus Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland. Non-EU+ is the sum of the rest of the world, including the rest of Europe, not included in the EU+ category. British nationals are excluded from these numbers. More information is available in Long-term international migration, provisional: year ending December 2024.

Internal migration

Describes moves made between countries of the UK. Unlike international migration, there is no internationally agreed definition. 

International migration

We use the United Nations (UN) recommended definition of a long-term international migrant: "a person who moves to a country other than that of his or her usual residence for a period of at least a year (12 months), so that the country of destination effectively becomes his or her new country of usual residence."

Natural change

The difference between births and deaths. If natural change is greater than zero, then there have been more births than deaths. If natural change is negative, then there have been more deaths than births.

Net migration

The difference between the number of people coming to live in an area (immigration) and the number of people leaving to live elsewhere (emigration). When more people are coming to the area than leaving, net migration is above zero and so adds to the population. Net migration takes account of both international and internal migration.

Net international migration

The difference between the number of people arriving in the UK from the rest of the world and leaving the UK for the rest of the world.

Rate of population change by component

We use these rates to compare how the different components of population change have contributed to changes in the size of the population in different areas. Rates for mid-2024 are calculated by dividing the estimated number of events for each component in the year to mid-2024 by the mid-2023 population estimate. We then multiply this figure by 100 to present the rate per 100 population.

The annual percentage change in the size of the population is the sum of all rates of change for each component. Figures may not sum exactly because of rounding.

Usually resident population

These data estimate the "usually resident population". This is the standard United Nations definition outlined on page 40 in the Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses (PDF, 2.36MB). It includes only people who reside in a country for 12 months or more, making them usually resident in that country. Visitors and short-term migrants are excluded.

Accredited official statistics

These accredited official statistics were independently reviewed by the Office for Statistics Regulation in November 2020. They comply with the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics and should be labelled "accredited official statistics".