ISSUES
: Our Changing Population
Chapter 1: Population in the UK
2
Annual mid-year population estimates
Main points
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The population of the UK at 30
June 2014 is estimated to be
64,596,800.
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Over the year to mid-2014 the
number of people resident in
the UK increased by 491,100
(up 0.77%), which is above
the average annual increase
(0.75%) seen over the last
decade.
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The population increase in
the year to mid-2014 included
natural growth of 226,200
people (777,400 births minus
551,200 deaths).
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Net international migration of
259,700 people in the year to
mid-2014 (582,600 international
migrants arrived in the UK and
322,900 migrants left the UK
to live abroad) also added to
population growth.
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An increase to the population
in the year to mid-2014 of 5,200
was due to other changes and
adjustments; mainly in the
armed forces.
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The number of births occurring
in the year to mid-2014 is down
on that seen in the previous
year (down 1.9%), continuing
the downward movement seen
in births since the recent peak
in the year to mid-2012.
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Net international migration
in the year to mid-2014 is the
highest since the year to mid-
2011 and up by 76,300 from
183,400 last year.
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The median age of the
population (the age at which
half the population is younger
and half the population is older)
at mid-2014 was 40 years – the
highest ever estimated.
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The number and proportion of
older people continues to rise,
with over 11.4 million (17.7% of
the population) aged 65 and
over in mid-2014, up from 11.1
million (17.4%) last year.
The mid-year estimates refer to
the population on 30 June of the
reference year and are published
annually. They are the official set
of population estimates for the UK
and its constituent countries, the
regions and counties of England,
and local authorities and their
equivalents.
This
publication
relates to the first release of the
mid-2014 estimates of the UK and
the revised mid-2013 estimates.
The UK mid-year estimates
series brings together population
estimates that are produced
annually for England and Wales by
the Office for National Statistics
(ONS), for Scotland by National
Records of Scotland (NRS) and for
Northern Ireland by the Northern
Ireland Statistics and Research
Agency (NISRA). The timetables for
population outputs are available for
each country on their respective
websites.
The
official
2014
mid-year
estimates for the UK referred
to in this bulletin, build on the
mid-2013 estimates, which are
updated to account for population
change during the period between
1 July 2013 and 30 June 2014 to
give the mid-2014 estimates. A
combination of registration, survey
and administrative data are used to
estimate the different components
of population change and as such
there will be a level of uncertainty
associated with the estimated
population.
Mid-year population estimates
relate to the usually resident
population. They account for
long-term international migrants
(people who change their country
of usual residence for a period of
12 months or more) but do not
account for short-term migrants
(people who come to or leave
the country for a period of less
than 12 months). This approach
is consistent with the standard
UN definition for population
estimates which is based upon
the concept of usual residence
and includes people who reside,
or intend to reside, in the country
for at least 12 months, whatever
their nationality.
Themid-year population estimates
are essential building blocks for a
wide range of National Statistics.
They are used directly as a base
for other secondary population
statistics, such as population
projections, population estimates
of the very old and population
