Writing in the latest edition of Prospect magazine Bob Rowthorn, Professor of Economics at Cambridge University, highlights the impact of migration on the composition of our society if it were to continue at the 2004 level of 223,000 net immigration. The UK’s population would reach 74 million by 2051 and would continue rising strongly thereafter. Our population would be 16 million people more than if there had been no migration in either direction There would also be a huge change in the make up of our population with 15.8 million foreign-born people settling in the UK and 5.8 million UK-born people leaving in the period 2006-2051.
Policy & legal framework
Return to the Migration Glossary Table of Contents The laws, rules, and policies that govern the UK immigration system, from primary legislation to operational guidance.
May 18, 2026