Population growth at its slowest rate in 15 years

THE ESTIMATED population of the UK has hit 66.8m after growing at the slowest rate for 15 years, official figures show.

According to data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), there were an estimated 66,796,807 people living in the country at the end of June last year.

The population growth rate over the 12 months to the middle of 2019 was 0.5 per cent, the slowest since mid-2004, the ONS said. It said decreasing numbers of births and net migration has contributed to the growth rate figure.

The year to mid-2019 saw the fewest births since mid-2005, at 722,000. The ONS said net international migration of 231,000 people was 44,000 fewer than in the year to mid-2018.

Neil Park, from the ONS, said: “The population grew at the slowest rate for 15 years between mid2018 and mid-2019.

“This is due to the lowest number of births for 14 years alongside an increase in emigration and a fall in international immigration.”

Leeds had one of the biggest population increases, from 715,609 to 793,139 up 10.8 per cent. According to the ONS,

there were an estimated 12.4m people aged 65 years and over – 18.5 per cent of the population – while 2.5 per cent of people were aged 85 or older.

The highest proportions of older people were most commonly found in coastal areas of southern and eastern England, the ONS said.

While the number of children (those aged under six) increased by eight per cent between mid2009 and mid-2019, the number of people aged 65 and over went up by 23 per cent, while those aged 70 and over jumped by 25 per cent.

The working age population – those 16 to 64 years – showed the lowest growth of any age group over this period, rising three per cent.

The average (median) age for the population of the UK in mid2019 was 40.3 years – one year higher than it was in mid-2009. Robin Maynard, of charity Population Matters, said: “These are welcome figures, especially the decline in birth rate, which appears to confirm that people are choosing smaller families.”

Louise Ansari, of the charity Centre for Ageing Better, said the country could expect to see increasing numbers of over 65-year-olds.

She added: “That means as we look to life beyond lockdown, it’s vital that government and society as a whole grasps the urgency of adapting to this dramatic shift in the age of the population.”