(Bloomberg) -- The UK has recorded more deaths than births for the first time in almost half a century, when excluding the pandemic, official data show.
The Office for National Statistics said that net migration drove a 1% jump in the UK population to 68.3 million in the year to mid-2023, the biggest increase in records going back to 1971.
There were almost 16,300 more deaths than births, according to its estimates released Tuesday. It was the first year of negative natural change since 1976, except for the first year of the pandemic when Covid-19 ripped through the country.
The figures show the growing impact from an aging society and declining fertility rates, with immigration now the driver of population growth across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The UK’s reliance on overseas workers is colliding with political tensions over immigration that are being seen across Europe. A higher population is easing labor shortages but also increasing strain on already struggling public services.
In the UK, migration was a key issue in the July general election that saw Labour defeat the Conservatives and significant gains for the far-right Reform UK party.
The ONS said that almost 1.2 million immigrants arrived in the year to mid-2023, though that was partially offset by just over 500,000 leaving the country.
The statistics body sees more strong growth in the population in the coming years, largely driven by immigration, with the number of people living in the UK projected to reach 70 million by mid-2026.
©2024 Bloomberg L.P.
