Europe · Northern Europe
United Kingdom Demographics
The United Kingdom combines continued population growth, low fertility, a large older-age share, high urbanization, and a recent migration balance that has changed sharply across source years.
Core population values use Office for National Statistics mid-year estimates and provisional estimates. Fertility, age-share, total life expectancy and urban indicators use World Bank World Development Indicators where comparable UK-level series are needed.
Last updated: September 27, 2026
Core Demographic Indicators
Detailed Demographic Indicators
| Indicator | Value | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population, provisional mid-year estimate | 69,487,000 | 2025 | ONS provisional population estimate |
| Population, official mid-year estimate | 69,281,400 | 2024 | ONS mid-year population estimates |
| Population growth | +1.1% | year to mid-2024 | ONS mid-year population estimates |
| Births | 662,100 | year to mid-2024 | ONS mid-year population estimates |
| Deaths | 645,900 | year to mid-2024 | ONS mid-year population estimates |
| Natural change | +16,200 | year to mid-2024 | ONS mid-year population estimates |
| Immigration | 1,235,300 | year to mid-2024 | ONS mid-year population estimates |
| Emigration | 496,500 | year to mid-2024 | ONS mid-year population estimates |
| Net international migration | +738,700 | year to mid-2024 | ONS mid-year population estimates |
| Net migration, provisional | +204,000 | year to mid-2025 | ONS provisional population estimate |
| Fertility rate | 1.551 births per woman | 2024 | World Bank World Development Indicators |
| Life expectancy at birth, total | 81.39 years | 2024 | World Bank World Development Indicators |
| Life expectancy at birth, male | 79.4 years | 2024 | ONS national life tables |
| Life expectancy at birth, female | 83.3 years | 2024 | ONS national life tables |
| Population aged 0-14 | 17.19% | 2024 | World Bank World Development Indicators |
| Population aged 15-64 | 63.32% | 2024 | World Bank World Development Indicators |
| Population aged 65+ | 19.50% | 2024 | World Bank World Development Indicators |
| Urban population share | 84.88% | 2024 | World Bank WDI and UN urban series |
| Urban population | 58,761,798 | 2024 | World Bank WDI and UN urban series |
| UK aggregate median age | Data not available | 2024 | ONS release gives constituent-country medians only |
Table analysis
- The official mid-2024 estimate is 69,281,400, while the mid-2025 value is provisional and rounded.
- Net international migration was +738,700 in the year to mid-2024 and +204,000 in the provisional year to mid-2025.
- The urban population share is sourced separately from World Bank WDI because the ONS population estimate is not an urban-rural series.
Population Trend
United Kingdom Population Trend
Selected official mid-year population estimates from 1971 to the provisional 2025 estimate.
Source: Office for National Statistics UKPOP time series. The 2025 value is provisional and rounded.
Trend analysis
- The selected series rises from 55.9 million in 1971 to 69.3 million in 2024.
- The largest recent annual rise in this table is between 2022 and 2023, when the estimate increased by about 890,100.
- The 2025 provisional estimate covers the UK total and is not broken down by age, sex or subnational area.
Historical Population Table
| Year | Population | Yearly change | Yearly % change | Data type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 55,928,000 | Data not available | Data not available | Official mid-year estimate | ONS UKPOP time series |
| 1975 | 56,225,700 | Data not available | Data not available | Official mid-year estimate | ONS UKPOP time series |
| 1980 | 56,329,700 | Data not available | Data not available | Official mid-year estimate | ONS UKPOP time series |
| 1985 | 56,554,000 | Data not available | Data not available | Official mid-year estimate | ONS UKPOP time series |
| 1990 | 57,237,500 | Data not available | Data not available | Official mid-year estimate | ONS UKPOP time series |
| 1995 | 58,024,800 | Data not available | Data not available | Official mid-year estimate | ONS UKPOP time series |
| 2000 | 58,886,100 | Data not available | Data not available | Official mid-year estimate | ONS UKPOP time series |
| 2005 | 60,413,300 | Data not available | Data not available | Official mid-year estimate | ONS UKPOP time series |
| 2010 | 62,759,500 | Data not available | Data not available | Official mid-year estimate | ONS UKPOP time series |
| 2015 | 65,087,000 | Data not available | Data not available | Official mid-year estimate | ONS UKPOP time series |
| 2020 | 66,739,900 | +112,400 | +0.17% | Official mid-year estimate | ONS UKPOP time series |
| 2021 | 66,978,000 | +238,100 | +0.36% | Official mid-year estimate | ONS UKPOP time series |
| 2022 | 67,636,100 | +658,100 | +0.98% | Official mid-year estimate | ONS UKPOP time series |
| 2023 | 68,526,200 | +890,100 | +1.32% | Official mid-year estimate | ONS UKPOP time series |
| 2024 | 69,281,400 | +755,200 | +1.10% | Official mid-year estimate | ONS UKPOP time series |
| 2025 | 69,487,000 | +205,600 | +0.30% | Provisional mid-year estimate | ONS provisional population estimate |
Table analysis
- Recent annual rows show the rise from 66.7 million in 2020 to 69.5 million in provisional 2025 data.
- The table separates provisional 2025 data from official mid-year estimates.
- Annual change is shown for the consecutive 2020-2025 rows; earlier rows are selected historical benchmark years.
Age Structure
Age Group Share
World Bank WDI age-share series for 2024.
Source: World Bank World Development Indicators, 2024.
Chart analysis
- The 15-64 age group accounts for 63.32% of the population in the WDI series.
- The 65+ share is 19.50%, above the 0-14 share of 17.19%.
- These are broad age shares, not detailed age-sex counts.
| Age group | Share | Population count | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-14 | 17.19% | Data not available | 2024 | World Bank WDI |
| 15-64 | 63.32% | Data not available | 2024 | World Bank WDI |
| 65+ | 19.50% | Data not available | 2024 | World Bank WDI |
Table analysis
- The 65+ share exceeds the 0-14 share by 2.31 percentage points.
Fertility and Life Expectancy
Fertility Compared With Replacement Level
Total fertility rate compared with a broad 2.1 births-per-woman benchmark.
Source: World Bank World Development Indicators, 2024. Replacement level is a broad benchmark and is not a country-specific projection assumption.
Chart analysis
- The UK fertility rate is 1.551 births per woman in the 2024 WDI series.
- The value is below the broad replacement-level benchmark of 2.1 births per woman.
Life Expectancy at Birth
Male and female values from ONS single-year life tables, with total life expectancy from WDI.
Sources: ONS national life tables for male and female 2024 values; World Bank WDI for total 2024 value.
Chart analysis
- Female life expectancy at birth is 83.3 years in the ONS 2024 single-year table.
- Male life expectancy at birth is 79.4 years, giving a male-female gap of 3.9 years.
- The total value comes from WDI, while the male and female values come from ONS; each row is labeled by source.
| Indicator | Value | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth, total | 81.39 years | 2024 | World Bank WDI |
| Life expectancy at birth, male | 79.4 years | 2024 | ONS national life tables |
| Life expectancy at birth, female | 83.3 years | 2024 | ONS national life tables |
| Female-male life expectancy gap | 3.9 years | 2024 | Derived from ONS male and female values |
Table analysis
- The sex-specific life expectancy rows use ONS single-year values for 2024.
- The total row uses WDI and should not be read as a direct arithmetic average of the ONS male and female rows.
Migration and Natural Change
Population Change Components
Births, deaths, immigration, emigration and net international migration for the year to mid-2024.
Source: ONS mid-year population estimates, year to mid-2024.
Chart analysis
- Births exceeded deaths by 16,200 in the year to mid-2024.
- Net international migration was much larger than natural change in the same period.
- Immigration and emigration are flow measures, while total population is a stock measure.
| Period | Births | Deaths | Natural change | Immigration | Emigration | Net migration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year to mid-2024 | 662,100 | 645,900 | +16,200 | 1,235,300 | 496,500 | +738,700 | ONS mid-year population estimates |
| Year to mid-2025 | 653,000 | 651,000 | about +2,000 | Data not available | Data not available | +204,000 | ONS provisional population estimate |
Table analysis
- The provisional mid-2025 release provides births, deaths and net migration, but not separate immigration and emigration totals.
- Natural change is small in both rows compared with net migration.
Urban Population
Urban Population Share
Urban share of the total population in the World Bank WDI urban series.
Source: World Bank WDI and UN urban series, 2024. Urban classification follows national definitions used in the international urban dataset.
Chart analysis
- The urban share is 84.88% in 2024.
- The urban population count in the same WDI series is 58,761,798.
- Urban definitions differ by national statistical systems, so cross-country comparisons should keep the source definition in view.
Population Projection
ONS 2024-Based Population Projection
Principal projection from the 2024 base year to selected future years.
Source: ONS 2024-based national population projections. Projections are scenario-based estimates, not guaranteed predictions.
Projection analysis
- The principal projection moves from 69.3 million in 2024 to 71.0 million in 2034.
- The series reaches about 72.4 million by 2049.
| Year | Projected population | Scenario | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 69,281,000 | 2024-based principal projection base | ONS national population projections |
| 2029 | 70,224,000 | 2024-based principal projection | ONS national population projections |
| 2034 | 71,014,000 | 2024-based principal projection | ONS national population projections |
| 2039 | 71,594,000 | 2024-based principal projection | ONS national population projections |
| 2044 | 72,063,000 | 2024-based principal projection | ONS national population projections |
| 2049 | 72,410,000 | 2024-based principal projection | ONS national population projections |
| 2054 | about 72,500,000 | 2024-based principal projection peak year | ONS national population projections |
Projection analysis
- Projected population growth slows across the selected future intervals.
Demographic Overview
The official population estimate reached 69,281,400 in mid-2024, followed by a provisional 69,487,000 in mid-2025.
Net international migration was +738,700 in the year to mid-2024, then +204,000 in the provisional year to mid-2025.
The WDI age-share series places the 65+ population at 19.50% in 2024, above the 0-14 share of 17.19%.
The total fertility rate is 1.551 births per woman in 2024.
The ONS 2024-based principal projection reaches 71.0 million in 2034 and about 72.4 million in 2049.
ONS resident-population estimates and WDI de facto or urban series use different definitions, so values are labeled by source.
Data Sources and Methodology
Population levels use ONS resident-population estimates where available. WDI provides UK-level fertility, total life expectancy, broad age structure and urban indicators. ONS 2024-based projections use a separate future population series.
| Source | Year or release | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Office for National Statistics, UKPOP time series and mid-year population estimates | Data through mid-2024; UKPOP table includes provisional 2025 | Official population level, population trend, recent annual changes and resident-population definition |
| Office for National Statistics, provisional population estimate | 2025 provisional estimate | Mid-2025 provisional population, births, deaths and net migration |
| Office for National Statistics, national life tables | 2024 single-year values | Male and female life expectancy at birth and the derived sex gap |
| Office for National Statistics, 2024-based national population projections | Released 2026 | Principal projection chart and projection table |
| World Bank World Development Indicators | 2024 values | Fertility rate, total life expectancy, broad age-group shares, urban population share and urban population count |
| UN urban series via World Bank WDI | 2024 values | Urban population definition and urbanization chart note |
Method note
- ONS resident-population estimates and WDI indicators use different definitions and reference periods; the source and year are stated alongside each value.
Methodological Safety Note
Methodological Safety Note: ONS resident-population estimates, provisional estimates and WDI indicators use different definitions and reference periods. Urban population follows the national definition used in the international urban series.
Data Questions
What is the latest population figure used here?
The latest figure shown is 69,487,000 for mid-2025, but it is provisional. The latest official mid-year estimate used here is 69,281,400 for mid-2024.
Why do some indicators use ONS and others use World Bank WDI?
ONS is preferred for UK resident-population levels and official change components. WDI is used where comparable UK-level fertility, age-share, total life expectancy and urban indicators are needed.