Post by Focus on Aug 8, 2013 18:16:06 GMT
* New figures show there were 63.7 million in the UK in mid-2012
* Increase of 419,000 or 0.7% in a year, Office for National Statistics says
* 813,200 births in 12 months, the largest number seen since 1972
* 165,600 more international migrants arrived than emigrants left
The number of births in the UK has surged to a 40-year high, helping to take the population to 63.7 million.
New figures show that the extra babies combined with increased immigration means the nation is expanded faster than any other European country.
More than one in six people in the UK is now over 65, the Office for National Statistics added.
Increase : Since 1992 the UK population has risen by 6.1 million, a rise of 11 per cent
The first estimate of the population for mid-2012 suggests there were 63.7 million people in the UK in June last year, up 0.7 per cent or 419,900 on 2011.
More than 80 per cent – 53.5 million – lived in England, while 5.3 million were in Scotland, 3.1 million in Wales and 1.8 million in Northern Ireland.
There were 813,200 births in the year to mid-2012, the largest number seen since 1972, the ONS said.
There were 558,800 deaths in the year to the end of June last year, which means there were 254,400 more births than deaths.
This difference accounted for 61 per cent of the population increase, while there were also 165,600 more international migrants arriving than emigrants leaving.
The increase in the number of people living in the UK was higher than any other country in the European Union
The UK’s population is the third largest in the European Union, behind Germany and France.
But the increase of 419,000 is the largest of any other European Union member state during the 12 months to 30 June 2012.
France's population grew by 319,100 in the past year to 65,480,500 while Germany's population went up by 166,200 to 80,399,300, the ONS said.
Migration from overseas accounted for 517,800 of the population flow into the UK while 352,100 people left the country, putting net migration at 165,600 for the year.
Divide : London and the south saw bigger increases in population between mid-2011 and mid-2012
Many of the migrants to the UK are from China, India, Germany, USA, Muslimstan, Poland and Australia.
UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage said: 'These figures show the continuing failure of the Government to get a grip on immigration into this country.
'The results of this increase in population can be felt in communities up and down the country as public services struggle to cope with the increase in demand.
'At the same time we face cuts to frontline services and send billions of pounds abroad in foreign aid.
'And this is before Romanian and Bulgarian citizens have full access to the UK come January next year.'
The ONS noted that the birth increases are being driven by large numbers of women in their 20s and 30s who are becoming mothers along with an increase in the number of migrant families in the UK.
The number of non UK-born mothers is about 26 per cent, the ONS said.
A drop in the smoking habit plus improvements to health treatments for circulatory illnesses has seen more men living past the 75-year marker.
This is why the number of men aged 75 and over in the UK has increased by just over 26%, or 422,353, since mid-2001 to 2,043,034 now.
The population pyramid shows how many people of each age there were, including the large numbers of so-called baby boomers and the low birth rate a decade ago
A 104,000 surge in London's population accounts for around a quarter of the UK's 419,900 population growth.
Together London, the South East and the East of England accounted for 53 per cent of growth across the UK in the year while Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland jointly accounted for 8 per cent.
More people from other parts of the UK moved to the South East than any other region, leading to a 26,000 increase in the area.
London saw the greatest numbers on the move within the UK with a net loss of more than 51,000 people who moved out, largely to the South East and East of England, the ONS data records.
The city proved to be top choice for international migrants arriving in the UK as London recorded a net international migration of 69,000 - the highest of all regions. Northern Ireland had the lowest net migration growth of around 400, the ONS said.
London also had the largest natural change of all regions as it recorded 86,000 more births than deaths in the past year while Scotland had the lowest with 4,200 more births than deaths.
Ffs, at this rate one has to wonder how much more Britain can take, not much more that's for sure and it's got to stop and bloody soon!! - Fx
