UK population to jump to 75 million by 2039

The population of the United Kingdom is set to jump by the equivalent of a country the size of Ireland in the next decade, official figures have revealed.

Migration will fuel a projected rise of 4.4 million from 64.6 million last year to 69 million in 2024 and an estimated increase of just under 10 million over 25 years to reach 74.3 million in 2039.

It means the number of people living in Britain will swell by around the equivalent of the current populations of Ireland (4.6 million) and Sweden (9.6 million) over 10 years and a quarter of a century respectively.