❓WHAT HAPPENED: The population of England and Wales increased by over 700,000 in the year to June 2024, the second largest rise in more than 75 years—primarily driven by mass migration.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Office for National Statistics (ONS), Labour and Conservative Party politicians, and Reform Party leader Nigel Farage.
📍WHEN & WHERE: England and Wales, in the 12 months to June 2024.
💬KEY QUOTE: “It puts impossible pressures on public services and further divides our communities.” – Nigel Farage
🎯IMPACT: The rise in population, driven by mass migration, has increased pressure on housing, public services, and social cohesion.
The population of England and Wales grew by 706,881 in the year to June 2024, bringing the total to 61.8 million, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This marks the second-largest annual increase since 1949, with mass migration accounting for the vast majority of the rise.
Net migration for the period stood at 690,147, a decrease from 833,696 the previous year. The decline is attributed to fewer foreign nationals from outside the European Union (EU) arriving on work and study visas, combined with an increase in students leaving at the end of their courses. Changes in migration rules under the previous government, including restrictions on foreign students bringing family members and banning overseas care workers from bringing dependents, contributed to the reduction.
Natural population change, with 596,012 births and 566,030 deaths, added a modest 29,982 to the total. The ONS noted that only four regions, London, south-east England, the West Midlands, and eastern England, saw population growth from natural change, while others experienced a decline due to lower fertility rates and an aging population.
Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, described the figures as “disastrous” for public services and community cohesion.
The ONS also highlighted a long-term decline in fertility rates, with women in England and Wales having an average of 1.44 children between 2022 and 2023, the lowest on record.
Previous ONS reports have claimed that the British population could grow as much as five million in the next decade, almost entirely due to mass migration.
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