Population of Britain by Age Group 2026
Great Britain — England, Scotland, and Wales — is home to the vast majority of the UK’s population, and its demographic profile is now shifting more rapidly than at almost any point in the post-war era. The population continues to grow, but the underlying engine behind that growth has fundamentally changed: births and deaths are nearly balanced, and official projections confirm that deaths will soon begin outnumbering births nationally, leaving international migration as the primary driver of any further population growth across Britain.
This guide breaks down the latest Great Britain population statistics by age group for 2026, covering England, Scotland, and Wales individually and combined, the generational breakdown from Generation Alpha through the Baby Boomers, the working-age and dependency ratios underpinning pension and healthcare planning, and the long-term projections shaping Britain’s demographic future. For a regional breakdown of how population is distributed across England’s nine regions and each UK nation, see our companion piece on UK population by region. Whether you’re researching Britain’s ageing population, generational size comparisons, or the age structure driving pension and NHS policy debates, this article lays out the fullest, most current picture available using official data for England, Scotland, and Wales.
Interesting Facts About Britain’s Population 2026
| Interesting Fact | Data (Mid-2024, Latest Available) |
|---|---|
| Great Britain Total Population (England + Scotland + Wales) | 67,353,582 |
| England Population | 58,619,682 |
| Scotland Population | 5,546,900 |
| Wales Population | 3,187,000 |
| Population Growth Rate: England | +1.2% |
| Population Growth Rate: Scotland | +0.7% (+40,900 people) |
| Population Growth Rate: Wales | +0.6% (+19,300 people) |
| England and Wales Combined Population | 61,806,682 |
| Wales Population Aged 65+ | 21.7% (693,000 people) |
| National Median Age (England and Wales) | Approximately 40 years |
| Fastest-Growing Local Authority in Wales (Mid-2023 to Mid-2024) | Newport, +1.7% |
| Scottish Council Areas Where Deaths Outnumbered Births | 31 of 32, with only Midlothian recording more births than deaths |
Source: Office for National Statistics (ONS), Population Estimates for England and Wales: Mid-2024; National Records of Scotland (NRS), Mid-2024 Population Estimates; Welsh Government, Mid-Year Estimates of the Population 2024.
As a content writer analyzing this data, the clearest fact about Britain’s population in 2026 is its sheer scale relative to the rest of the UK: England, Scotland, and Wales combined hold 67,353,582 people, representing roughly 97% of the entire UK population, with Northern Ireland’s separate 1.93 million residents excluded from this Great Britain total. England dominates this figure, accounting for 58.6 million people, or 87% of Great Britain’s population, while Scotland (5.5 million) and Wales (3.2 million) each carry distinctly different demographic profiles shaped by their own birth rates, migration patterns, and age structures.
The second major theme is just how close natural population decline has already arrived in parts of Britain. In Scotland, deaths outnumbered births in 31 of the country’s 32 council areas in the year to mid-2024, with only Midlothian recording more births than deaths — meaning nearly the entirety of Scotland’s population growth is now attributable to migration alone, rather than any natural increase. This pattern, while most pronounced in Scotland, reflects a broader trend playing out across Britain as a whole, where an ageing population and historically low fertility are pushing every constituent nation toward increasing reliance on inward migration to sustain population growth.
England Population Statistics by Age Group 2026
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| England Population, Mid-2024 | 58,619,682 |
| Growth Rate, Mid-2023 to Mid-2024 | +1.2% (+687,600 people) |
| Share of Great Britain’s Total Population | ~87% |
| Population Aged 15 and Under (Growth, Year to Mid-2024) | +0.6% — the only GB nation with growth in this age band |
| Region With Oldest Median Age | South West England, at 43.7 years |
| Region With Youngest Median Age | London, at 35.7 years |
| Fastest-Growing Local Authority (2022-Based Projection, Mid-2022 to Mid-2032) | Tower Hamlets, London: +20.4% |
| Local Authorities Projected to Grow (Same 2022-Based Projection, of 309) | 302 of 309 |
Source: Office for National Statistics (ONS), Population Estimates for England and Wales: Mid-2024; National Population Projections, 2024-based.
England accounts for the overwhelming majority of Great Britain’s population, reaching 58,619,682 people by mid-2024 and growing at 1.2% — faster than either Scotland or Wales. Notably, England was the only nation within Great Britain to record growth in its under-15 population, up 0.6%, while the equivalent age group declined in both Scotland and Wales, underscoring England’s comparatively younger demographic momentum relative to its neighbours.
England’s age structure also varies enormously by region: South West England holds the oldest median age nationally at 43.7 years, reflecting its popularity as a retirement destination, while London remains the youngest region at just 35.7 years, driven by its concentration of students, young professionals, and international migrants. The most recent local-authority-level projections (based on 2022 data, the most granular geographic breakdown currently published) show Tower Hamlets in London as Britain’s fastest-growing local authority, at +20.4% between mid-2022 and mid-2032, with 302 of England’s 309 local authorities projected to grow overall over the same period — note these local-authority figures pre-date the newer 2024-based national projections referenced elsewhere in this article and have not yet been updated to match.
Scotland Population Statistics by Age Group 2026
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Scotland Population, Mid-2024 | 5,546,900 |
| Growth Rate, Mid-2023 to Mid-2024 | +0.7% (+40,900 people) |
| Year Scotland First Passed 5.5 Million | 2023 |
| Council Areas Where Deaths Exceeded Births | 31 of 32 |
| Only Council Area With More Births Than Deaths | Midlothian |
| Council Areas Recording Population Decline | 5 of 32 |
| Primary Driver of Population Growth | Net migration, in every council area |
| Population Aged 0-15 (Year to Mid-2024) | Declined by 0.1% |
Source: National Records of Scotland (NRS), Mid-2024 Population Estimates and Scotland’s Population 2024 Registrar General’s Annual Review.
Scotland’s population reached 5,546,900 by mid-2024, growing 0.7%, or 40,900 people, over the previous year — continuing the country’s recent run past the historic 5.5 million milestone first crossed in 2023. What stands out most starkly in Scotland’s data is the near-total absence of natural population growth: deaths outnumbered births in 31 of Scotland’s 32 council areas, with only Midlothian bucking this trend, meaning Scotland’s population growth is now driven almost entirely by people moving into the country rather than any excess of births over deaths.
This pattern was consistent across the country in the most recent data — every single council area saw more people move in than leave, according to NRS head of population and migration statistics Andrew White, even as five council areas still recorded overall population decline, reflecting how significant natural decrease can be in areas without sufficiently offsetting migration. For anyone studying Scotland’s demographic trajectory within Britain in 2026, this data confirms Scotland has moved further along the path toward migration-dependent population growth than either England or Wales, a distinction with real implications for how the country plans future healthcare, housing, and workforce policy.
Wales Population Statistics by Age Group 2026
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Wales Population, Mid-2024 | 3,187,000 |
| Growth Rate, Mid-2023 to Mid-2024 | +0.6% (+19,300 people) |
| Population Aged 65 and Over | 21.7% (693,000 people) — over one-fifth of the population |
| Primary Driver of Population Growth | Positive net international migration |
| Fastest-Growing Local Authority (Mid-2023 to Mid-2024) | Newport, +1.7% |
| Wales Population, Mid-1991 (For Historical Comparison) | ~2.87 million |
| Admin-Based Population Estimate (Alternative Methodology) | ~3,177,600 — 0.3% lower than the official estimate |
Source: Welsh Government, Mid-Year Estimates of the Population 2024; Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Wales recorded a population of 3,187,000 by mid-2024, growing 0.6%, or 19,300 people, driven primarily by positive net international migration. Wales stands out within Great Britain for having the oldest population share proportionally, with 21.7% of residents — nearly 693,000 people — aged 65 or over, a notably higher proportion than either England or Scotland, reflecting Wales’s popularity as a retirement destination alongside historically lower rates of younger inward migration compared to London and South East England.
Looking at longer-term trends, Wales’s population has grown steadily but modestly, climbing from approximately 2.87 million in 1991 to 3.19 million by 2024 — an increase of roughly 11% over more than three decades. Newport recorded the fastest local authority growth in the most recent year, at 1.7%, considerably outpacing the Welsh national average, while the country’s overall demographic trajectory continues to closely track the broader Great Britain pattern of migration-driven growth amid a rapidly ageing existing population.
Great Britain Combined Age Structure and Dependency Ratios 2026
| Metric | Approximate Figure |
|---|---|
| Great Britain Total Population | 67,353,582 |
| England Share of GB Population | ~87% |
| Scotland Share of GB Population | ~8.2% |
| Wales Share of GB Population | ~4.7% |
| Wales Population Aged 65+ (Highest Share of the Three Nations) | 21.7% |
| England and Wales Combined Population Growth (Mid-2023 to Mid-2024) | +706,900 (1.2%) |
| Net International Migration, England and Wales (Year to Mid-2024) | 690,100 |
Source: Office for National Statistics (ONS); National Records of Scotland (NRS); Welsh Government, 2025-2026.
Combining England, Scotland, and Wales, Great Britain’s total population stood at 67,353,582 people by mid-2024, with England alone accounting for roughly 87% of that total. This overwhelming English majority means that national-level Great Britain statistics tend to closely mirror England’s demographic patterns specifically, even though Scotland and Wales each have meaningfully different age structures — Wales in particular, with its notably higher 21.7% share of residents aged 65 and over, compared to younger profiles in much of England.
Across England and Wales combined, net international migration of 690,100 people in the year to mid-2024 remained, by a wide margin, the largest single contributor to population growth, even as this figure declined compared to the record levels seen in 2022 and 2023. This dependence on migration for continued growth is a defining feature shared across all three nations that make up Great Britain, even though the intensity of that dependence varies significantly — from Scotland, where natural change has turned negative in almost every council area, to England, which retains somewhat more natural population momentum thanks to its younger overall age profile and higher relative birth rate.
Population Aged 85 and Over: Britain’s Fastest-Growing Age Band 2026
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| UK Population Aged 85+ (Mid-2024) | 1.75 million (2.5% of the population) |
| Projected UK Population Aged 85+ (Mid-2049) | 3.6 million (4.9% of the population) — more than double |
| Sex Balance at Older Ages | More females than males, reflecting women’s higher life expectancy |
| Population Pyramid Bulge (Mid-2024) | Age 77, reflecting the 1947 post-war baby boom |
| Second Pyramid Bulge (Mid-2024) | Age 59, reflecting the 1960s baby boom |
| Projected Shift by Mid-2034 | Post-war bulge moves to age 87; 1960s bulge moves to age 69 |
Source: Office for National Statistics (ONS), National Population Projections, 2024-based, published April 2026.
The fastest-growing segment of Britain’s population by far is the oldest-old: people aged 85 and over numbered 1.75 million across the UK by mid-2024, representing 2.5% of the total population, and the ONS’s own 2024-based projections show this figure more than doubling to 3.6 million (4.9% of the population) by mid-2049. Since England, Scotland, and Wales together hold roughly 97% of the UK total, the overwhelming majority of this growth in the very old population will occur within Great Britain specifically.
This age band’s growth is driven by the same forces visible throughout Britain’s population pyramid: distinct bulges at age 77 (the 1947 post-war baby boom) and age 59 (the 1960s baby boom) will simply age upward together over the coming decade, reaching 87 and 69 respectively by mid-2034. At every stage of this ageing pyramid, women consistently outnumber men, a gap that widens further at the oldest ages due to women’s higher average life expectancy — a pattern the ONS expects to persist throughout the entire projection period.
Births, Deaths, and Natural Change Statistics Britain 2026
| Metric | England and Wales (Year to Mid-2024) |
|---|---|
| Deaths Registered | 566,000 — down 32,000 from mid-2023, the lowest since before COVID-19 |
| Natural Change (Births Minus Deaths) | +30,000 |
| Net Internal Migration Out of England and Wales to Rest of UK | 13,600 people |
| Primary Driver of Population Growth | Net international migration (690,100), far exceeding natural change |
Source: Office for National Statistics (ONS), Population Estimates for England and Wales: Mid-2024.
Focusing specifically on England and Wales, deaths fell to 566,000 in the year to mid-2024, down 32,000 from the previous year and the lowest total recorded since before the COVID-19 pandemic. Combined with births, this produced a natural increase of just 30,000 people — a genuinely small figure when set against the 690,100 net international migration that drove the overwhelming majority of England and Wales’s population growth over the same period, reinforcing just how dependent this part of Britain has become on inward migration rather than births exceeding deaths.
A further 13,600 people moved out of England and Wales to the rest of the UK on net during the same year — a relatively modest internal migration outflow compared to the scale of international migration, but one that nonetheless factors into the overall population balance. For anyone comparing England and Wales’s demographic engine to Scotland’s, this data shows a similar underlying pattern to Scotland’s own near-zero natural change, just not yet as extreme — natural increase remains positive in England and Wales, but only barely, and rests on a fraction of the population growth that migration alone now provides.
Long-Term Population Projections for Britain 2026-2034
| Nation | Projected Growth, Mid-2024 to Mid-2034 |
|---|---|
| England | +2.9% |
| Wales | +1.0% |
| Scotland | +0.3% — the lowest of the four UK nations |
| Northern Ireland (For Comparison) | +0.6% |
| UK Population Peak (Revised Projection) | 72.5 million in mid-2054, before declining |
| Previous (2022-Based) Projection | Continued growth to mid-2096 — since revised down |
| UK-Wide Net Migration, Mid-2024 to Mid-2049 (25 Years) | 5.6 million people |
| Scotland’s Growth Driver (2024-2034) | Net cross-border migration from the rest of the UK, +110,000 projected |
| Wales’s Growth Driver (2024-2034) | Net cross-border migration from the rest of the UK, +92,000 projected |
Source: Office for National Statistics (ONS), National Population Projections, 2024-based, published April 2026.
The ONS’s most current 2024-based population projections, published in April 2026, show a meaningfully slower growth outlook than earlier projection rounds. Over the decade from mid-2024 to mid-2034, England is projected to grow 2.9%, Wales 1.0%, and Scotland just 0.3% — the slowest of all four UK nations, consistent with the near-zero natural change already visible in Scotland’s most recent council-area data. This represents a downward revision from the previous 2022-based projections, and readers should treat any older Britain population projection figures circulating online with caution, since the ONS itself has since revised its methodology and long-term migration assumptions.
Perhaps the most significant revision in this newest release: the ONS now projects the UK population will peak at 72.5 million around mid-2054, then begin declining — a sharp change from the prior 2022-based projections, which had shown continuous growth all the way through mid-2096. Within Great Britain specifically, Scotland and Wales’s future growth is expected to come primarily from net cross-border migration from the rest of the UK (110,000 and 92,000 people respectively over the decade), rather than international migration directly, while England remains the nation most reliant on international migration for its continued, if slower, population growth.
| Metric | England and Wales (Year to Mid-2024) | Scotland (Year to Mid-2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Population Growth | +706,900 (1.2%) | +40,900 (0.7%) |
| Primary Growth Driver | Net international migration (690,100) | Net migration |
| Natural Change | Positive but narrowing | Negative in 31 of 32 council areas |
| National Fertility Trend | Declining births, lowest in decades | Declining births, lowest in decades |
| Long-Term Trajectory | Growing dependence on migration | Already migration-dependent |
Source: Office for National Statistics (ONS); National Records of Scotland (NRS), 2025-2026.
Taken together, the data for England, Scotland, and Wales tells a consistent story: natural population change is shrinking toward zero or turning negative across Great Britain, and net international migration has become the dominant, and in Scotland’s case nearly the sole, source of continued population growth. England and Wales combined still recorded a comfortably positive population increase of 706,900 people (1.2%) in the year to mid-2024, driven overwhelmingly by 690,100 in net international migration, while natural change remained positive but increasingly modest.
Scotland’s experience offers a preview of where the rest of Britain may be heading: with deaths already outnumbering births in 31 of 32 council areas, Scotland demonstrates what happens when an ageing population and low fertility combine without a sufficiently youthful base to sustain natural growth. For anyone tracking Britain’s population by age group through the rest of 2026, this divergence between England’s still-modestly-positive natural change and Scotland’s near-total dependence on migration represents one of the more important underlying stories in the country’s demographic data — one that Wales, with its own notably older population profile, appears to be following closely behind.
Disclaimer: The data research report we present here is based on information found from various sources. We are not liable for any financial loss, errors, or damages of any kind that may result from the use of the information herein. We acknowledge that though we try to report accurately, we cannot verify the absolute facts of everything that has been represented.
