The United Kingdom's population has grown by half a million in a single year, says the Office of National Statistics (ONS). More than half of that growth is attributed to foreigners migrating to the country.
The latest figures revealed by the ONS show nearly 600,000 foreigners have migrated to the UK in the past 12 months alone. Accounting for the 322,000 that have left the country, net migration has contributed a total of 260,000 to the population.
This is more than the "natural growth," or the net number of births after accounting for the number of deaths. Natural growth consisted of 226,000 added to the population, which means immigration comprises 53 percent of the total population growth.
The new numbers [pdf] contribute to an unprecedented growth spurt. Over the last decade, the UK saw its population grow year over year by 0.75 percent. Since the middle of 2014, however, the country's rate of population growth has been at 0.77 percent.
England saw a nearly 1 percent surge in population, with its numbers now up to 54.3 million. Scotland has 5.3 million while Wales and Northern Island have 3.1 million and 1.8 million respectively.
Immigration is also partly responsible for bringing the UK's median age, the age at which 50 percent of the population is younger and the other 50 percent is older, down to 40. The ONS says 11 percent of the young adult population, those in their 20s and early 30s, is composed of migrants.
Had the number of migrants been lower, the UK would have an older population, the ONS says. Persons who are 65 years old and above comprise 18 percent of the total population, slightly less than the 19 percent composed of children who are 16 years old and below. The growth in the 65 and up segment is partly due to lifestyle changes, decreased smoking and the decline of heavy industry.
"The 300,000 increase in the number of over 65s in the UK illustrates the long-term trend towards an ageing population," said Independent Age CEO Janet Morrison. "The figure demonstrates the urgent need to reform our health, housing and social care systems to better support this change. It also requires us to consider the figures about increases in net migration in a new light, recognizing that migrants are typically taxpayers whose contributions help pay for our health and care services and pensions."
Others, such as Lord Green of Deddington, chairman of Migration Watch UK, say the population growth will only worsen the housing crisis and place undue pressure on government services.
"It is vital the government realize their ambition to reduce net migration to the tens of thousands," said Lord Green.
Photo: Matthias Ripp | Flickr
