UK population is to increase beyond 70 million in the next 12 years, official projections suggest.
The Office for National Statistics said the population was expected to increase by 4.4 million in the next decade, before reaching 70 million in 2027.
That increase is roughly the size of the Irish Republic.
The UK has the fastest-growing population of the EU's large countries, on course to overtake shrinking Germany in the not-too-distant future.
UK population 'to top 70 million in 12 years'
BBC News
29 October 2015
The UK population is set to increase by the size of Sweden in the next 25 years
The UK population is to increase beyond 70 million in the next 12 years, official projections suggest.
The Office for National Statistics said the population was expected to increase by 4.4 million in the next decade, before reaching 70 million in 2027.
That increase is roughly the size of the Irish Republic.
The statistics predict an ageing population, with some 29.5% of people aged over 60 by 2039 - up from 23.2% this year.
By then, more than 1 in 12 of us is expected to be aged 80 or over.
The latest official figures say there are just under 64.6 million people in the UK. The population is projected to grow by 9.7 million over the next 25 years, to 74.3 million.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said its latest projections assume that more people will come to live in the UK than emigrate, accounting for about half of the projected population increase. The remainder is attributed to births outnumbering deaths.
Projections were also revised upward in the latest figures. The population estimate for 2024 is now 249,000 more than the previous projection in 2012.
Population growth
As of June 2014 there were
64,596,800
People living in the UK
491,100
more than the previous year
259,700 added from net migration
226,200 from natural growth
25% of all births in 2013 were to mothers born outside the UK ONS
UK population 'to top 70 million in 12 years' - BBC News
The Office for National Statistics said the population was expected to increase by 4.4 million in the next decade, before reaching 70 million in 2027.
That increase is roughly the size of the Irish Republic.
The UK has the fastest-growing population of the EU's large countries, on course to overtake shrinking Germany in the not-too-distant future.
UK population 'to top 70 million in 12 years'
BBC News
29 October 2015
The UK population is set to increase by the size of Sweden in the next 25 years
The UK population is to increase beyond 70 million in the next 12 years, official projections suggest.
The Office for National Statistics said the population was expected to increase by 4.4 million in the next decade, before reaching 70 million in 2027.
That increase is roughly the size of the Irish Republic.
The statistics predict an ageing population, with some 29.5% of people aged over 60 by 2039 - up from 23.2% this year.
By then, more than 1 in 12 of us is expected to be aged 80 or over.
The latest official figures say there are just under 64.6 million people in the UK. The population is projected to grow by 9.7 million over the next 25 years, to 74.3 million.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said its latest projections assume that more people will come to live in the UK than emigrate, accounting for about half of the projected population increase. The remainder is attributed to births outnumbering deaths.
Projections were also revised upward in the latest figures. The population estimate for 2024 is now 249,000 more than the previous projection in 2012.
Population growth
As of June 2014 there were
64,596,800
People living in the UK
491,100
more than the previous year
259,700 added from net migration
226,200 from natural growth
25% of all births in 2013 were to mothers born outside the UK ONS
UK population 'to top 70 million in 12 years' - BBC News