UK population
Source: Office for National Statistics (ONS), with National Records of Scotland and NISRA, series UKPOP. Annual mid-year estimates, usually published in the summer or autumn of the following year, 7am; next release date to be announced
UK population: every value, by year, with a CSV download →
What it measures
The UK population estimate is the official count of the usual resident population on 30 June each year. It starts from the most recent census and is rolled forward each year by adding births and immigration and subtracting deaths and emigration. It includes everyone who usually lives in the UK, whatever their nationality, and people living in communal establishments such as care homes and student halls. The ONS publishes the UK figure together with estimates for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, local authorities, and by age and sex.
How to read it
The estimate refers to 30 June, but is published more than a year later, so it is always somewhat out of date. Estimates are revised when new census results or better migration data become available, so figures for the same year can differ between releases. Annual change is driven mainly by net migration plus natural change (births minus deaths). For the future, use ONS population projections, which show what would happen if assumed trends continued; they are not forecasts. For rates such as crimes per 100,000 people, check which year's population is used.
Background
The ONS UK population series starts in 1971, at about 55.9 million. The ONS reported that the UK population reached an estimated 69.5 million in mid-2025, up 227,700 (0.3%) from mid-2024, the lowest rate of increase since mid-2020. It also reported that the UK population has grown every year since mid-1982, with the largest percentage increase in that period (1.3%) in the year to mid-2023. The most recent censuses were held in 2021 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and in 2022 in Scotland.
Other parts of the UK
ONS population estimates for the UK, England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland (dataset) · National Records of Scotland: mid-2025 population estimates · NISRA mid-year population estimates (Northern Ireland) · Nomis: population by local area
What is the population of England?
The ONS publishes the population of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each year in its mid-year estimates. The release of 1 October 2026 covered mid-2025 and reported population growth of 0.4% for England, with very small growth for Scotland and Northern Ireland and a small decrease for Wales. The figure for each nation is in the ONS dataset.
How fast is the UK population growing?
The ONS mid-year estimates give the annual change. The UK population rose by 227,700, or 0.3%, between mid-2024 and mid-2025, which the ONS said was the lowest rate of increase since mid-2020. Net international migration was the largest contributor, with natural change adding a smaller amount.
What will the UK population be in 2030?
The ONS publishes national population projections showing what the population would be if assumptions about births, deaths and migration hold. Projections are not forecasts, and different migration assumptions give different results, so the ONS publishes variant projections too. Quote the projection's base year and assumption when using it.
Related questions
More on this source: UK deaths, life expectancy and public health statistics (ONS, OHID, UKHSA, NRS, NISRA)
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