Population Estimates For The UK, England, Wales, Scotland And Northern Ireland: Mid-2023

8th October 2024

The UK population at mid-year 2023 was estimated to be 68.3 million, an increase of 1.0% since mid-2022.

The population grew faster in England and in Wales (both 1.0%) than in Scotland (0.8%) or Northern Ireland (0.5%).

Net international migration was the main contributor to population increase for all four countries of the UK in the year to mid-2023.

There were 16,300 more deaths than births across the UK in the year to mid-2023; in England and Northern Ireland there were more births than deaths while Scotland and Wales had more deaths than births.

The estimates in this publication are subject to further revisions because of continuing development of international migration methods and data sources.

The population of the UK
We estimate the UK population at mid-2023 as 68.3 million (68,265,209). This estimate will be revised within the next year as new data become available and improvements to our estimates of international migration continue to be made.

All four countries of the UK saw population increases in the period between mid-2022 and mid-2023. Table 1 shows the populations and components of population change for each country of the UK. The population grew faster in England and in Wales (both 1.0%) than in Scotland (0.8%) or Northern Ireland (0.5%). Commentary on population estimates for each country of the UK can be found in the statistical bulletins listed in Section 7: Related links.

Estimates of long-term international migration for England and Wales in year-ending June 2023 are derived from UK-level migration estimates published on 23 November 2023. Please note therefore that adding migration estimates for England and Wales to migration estimates for Scotland and Northern Ireland, estimates will not sum to the latest total UK-level international migration estimates which were published on 23 May 2024. The difference in these population estimates compared with those based on the latest international migration estimates is relatively small. It does not change the overall picture of the population level.

For international migration estimates in England and Wales, use the mid-2023 population estimates for England and Wales. For international migration estimates in Northern Ireland, use the 2023 Mid-Year Population Estimates for Northern Ireland. For international migration estimates in Scotland, use the Mid-Year Population Estimates for Scotland. For UK-level international migration estimates, use the latest UK long-term international migration estimates.

The population estimates for mid-2023 will be revised in 2025 when the mid-2024 population estimates are published. These will take account of the latest international migration estimates available at that point.

Read the full ONS report HERE