UK population to hit 74 million by 2036 - an increase of 6.1million - new bombshell figures show

The data has been published by the Office for National Statisics (ONS) and assumes a level of long-term net international migration of 315,000 a year from mid-2028 onwards.

All the figures are projections, not predictions, because they are based on current and past trends. The actual levels of future migration and population may be higher or lower than the projections, the ONS said.

James Robards, ONS head of population and household projections, said: “Expert views and the latest data covering the last 10 years has led us to develop a long-term net migration assumption of 315,000 each year from year ending mid-2028 onwards.

“It is important to recognise that there is uncertainty in the provisional international migration estimates. Future migration will be affected by policy changes as well as the impact of as yet unknown migrant behavioural patterns in the future.

“Put simply, if migration comes down, so will future projections.

“If net international migration were to be, say, 20 per cent higher than our long-term assumption, then it would be 379,000 per year. If it were to be 20 per cent lower than our assumption, then it would be 253,000 per year.

“That is why we call these projections and not forecasts. There is uncertainty and these differences would affect the total size of the population accordingly.”

The Government has introduced a number of measures to crack down on net migration to the UK, including raising the salary threshold for work visas.

It has also attempted to cut down on the number of migrants arriving illegally in small boats.

The Government's Safety of Rwanda Bill, which will put their plan to send migrants to Rwanda into law, is currently being debated in the House of Lords after passing through the Commons earlier this month.

But yesterday, the Archbishop of Canterbury accused the Government of "outsourcing" its "moral responsibility" through the scheme.

He said the Bill is "damaging for asylum seekers in need of protection", accusing the Government of "outsourcing our legal and moral responsibilities for refugees and asylum seekers".

Speaking in the House of Lords in a debate on the Safety of Rwanda Bill, Welby said: "It is damaging for asylum seekers in need of protection, and safe and legal routes to be heard.

"It is damaging for this country's reputation, which contradicts even as late as last week, where the Prime Minister himself spoke eloquently on the value and importance of international law for this country.

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"It is damaging in respect of constitutional principles and the rule of law. And most of all, it is damaging for our nation's unity.

"In a time when the greatest issues of war, peace, defence and security need us to be united, we are united on, I think almost all benches, in agreeing that the boats must be stopped.

"And this government is to be congratulated that the number has come down, that the people smugglers who trade in human misery must be brought to justice - and it is good news that the groups have been broken up - and we need to be united on effective controls on agreed limits to immigration.

"The right way forward though is to enable the unity on ends to be translated into a unity on means, and that is not happening in the way these bills are successively brought to the house and brought to the country."