Net UK immigration has increased the country’s population by a quarter of a million each year for the past 12 years, according to new figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
According to the UK immigration data, the rise has been prompted by the growth of the European Union, particularly when Britain’s job market was open to eight east European countries including Poland.
In total, around 3.25 million immigrants have settled in the UK over the period from 2004 onwards, working out at an average of 684 people every day for the past 12 years.
Assuming UK immigration continues at a similar rate, the ONS has predicted that the UK population could increase from 65.5 million to just over 76 million within one generation, or around 2046.
According to the ONS figures, this increase in UK immigration has also resulted in changes in the birthing data across the country, with 28 per cent of births in England and Wales in 2016 registered to mothers who were born overseas.
The country’s population is also likely to increase due to rising life expectancy, with ONS figures showing that 18 per cent of the population is aged over 65 and 2.4 per cent is aged over 85.
Areas in the South of the country have the highest number of older people, including Rother in East Sussex, East Devon and Dorset. Meanwhile, residents of London Boroughs including Tower Hamlets, Islington and Hackney are consistently found to be some of the youngest.