Despite natural population growth being negative, the United Kingdom saw a record annual increase in its population due to the mass migration policies imposed upon the nation from Westminster.
The combined population of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland surged from around 67.6 million in mid-2022 to 68.3 million in mid-2023, as 662,400 more people resided in the UK, or an increase of one per cent, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.
The 662,400 increase in the population is the largest numerical yearly jump since records began in 1971. The ONS noted that this resulted mostly from mass migration policies of the previous Tory government, with net migration for the period currently estimated at around 677,300.
“Net international migration was the main contributor to population increase for all four countries of the UK in the year to mid-2023,” the ONS said.
Latest migration figures show 1.16 million UK visas were granted for work, study or family reasons in the year ending June 2024.
Just over 75,000 people were granted permission to stay via schemes for refugees and for people from places such as Ukraine and the former British colony of Hong Kong.
During the same period, just over 38,700 people – a small proportion of the numbers coming to the UK – were detected arriving by “irregular routes”, such as small boat crossings.
Were it not for mass migration, the UK population would have fallen, with 16,300 more deaths than births being recorded across the country in the year to mid-2023. This natural decline in population occurred quicker than anticipated, with the ONS previously predicting that the rate would not turn negative until the middle of the next decade.
While mass migration is often touted as an economic panacea which will save countries from ageing demographics and prop up welfare and healthcare benefits systems, the economic validity of this argument has come under question.
According to an analysis from the government’s Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) last month, the average low-skilled migrant who comes to the country at age 25 costs more to the system than they put in given their relatively low tax contributions and their higher propensity to use public services.
The analysis found that by the time they reach the state pension age of 66, low-skilled migrants will have cost the country £151,000 and nearly £500,000 if they live to the age of 80.
Conversely, British-born workers are a net positive to the government, averaging net contributions of £280,000 to public finances, even when factoring in education and healthcare benefits they receive before entering the workforce.
Additionally, mass migration puts a heavy strain on the housing sector, with analysis earlier this year from the Centre for Policy Studies calculating that Britain would need to construct 5.7 million new homes over the next 15 years just to keep up with immigration.
While the link is often overlooked, the Migration Advisory Committee has acknowledged that there is nearly a one-to-one correlation between house prices and population growth driven by immigration.
There is also growing evidence that mass migration is having a negative impact on social cohesion. Although the British government refuses to release full crime statistics by nationality and immigration status, a research project from The Telegraph found that foreigners have a 27 per cent higher imprisonment rate than British citizens. Meanwhile, the same project found that migrants were twice as likely to be arrested than British citizens.