Population to hit 70m in a decade

Immigration fuels ‘staggering’ rise in numbers
The Office for National Statistics says the biggest influence on growth is net migration
The Office for National Statistics says the biggest influence on growth is net migration
ALAMY

The population of Britain is set to increase by three million over the next decade, with 80 per cent of the growth driven by immigration, according to official projections published yesterday.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said that it expected the population to rise by 4.5 per cent over the next ten years to hit 70 million, with the growth quicker in England than elsewhere in Britain.

Migrants arriving and having children will be responsible for 79 per cent of the increase, with the remaining growth down to natural change — more births than deaths.

The number of older people will continue to increase. The proportion aged above 85 is set to double over the next 25 years from 1.6 million last year to