UK population growth hits SLOWEST rate since 1998 as net migration falls by nearly two-thirds in a year

From the Newshound archive · first published 2 October 2026 · last updated 3 October 2026.

Britain's population grew by just 0.33% to 69.5 million in the year to mid-2025 — the slowest rate since 1998 — according to new ONS figures. Net migration fell sharply, dropping from 651,700 to 222,900, a reduction of nearly two-thirds, driven largely by visa restrictions introduced by the previous Conservative government. Births totalled just 652,400, the lowest figure in more than four decades, meaning natural population change contributed a mere 4,900 people to the overall total.

Migration Watch UK chairman Alp Mehmet warned arrivals of approaching 900,000 remain 'shockingly high' despite the dramatic fall.

Wales recorded a population decline for the first time in ten years, while Scotland and Northern Ireland saw negligible growth — England was the only nation to post any meaningful increase.

Net migration accounted for 98% of all population growth, with ONS projecting deaths could outnumber births from 2026 and the UK population beginning to shrink by the mid-2050s.