UK population set to hit 72.5 million by 2032 up almost five million from 2022, new ONS figures reveal
28 January 2025, 09:41 | Updated: 28 January 2025, 10:23
The UK population is projected to reach 72.5 million by mid-2032, up nearly five million from 67.6 million in mid-2022, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
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The Office for National Statistics (ONS) projects the rise from 67.6 million in mid-2022 will be driven almost entirely by net migration, with the difference between the number of people arriving and leaving the country estimated to total 4.9 million over the 10-year period.
The natural population - the difference between births and deaths - is projected to be "around zero."
While births are projected to increase slightly, the increase is balanced out by a projected increase in deaths due to the relatively large number of people reaching older ages who were born during the so-called baby boom in the wake of the Second World War.
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The level of net migration is projected to average 340,000 per year from mid-2028 onwards, lower than current levels.
The data also suggests that the UK is set to be even more gray, with 1 in 10 of the UK population projected to be 75 and over by 2032.
The number of people at state pension age - taking into account the planned rise to 67 - is projected to rise by 1.7 million between mid-2022 and mid-2032, up from an estimated 12.0 million to 13.7 million people.
