UK’s growth powered by migration

Statistics released in the third week of July by the ONS (Office for National Statistics) reveals that migration was the main cause of Britain’s growth and not births as was the popular perception.

The total population of UK grew by over 251,000 during the last 12 years owing to net migration, which has caused the country’s population to increase.

On the other hand, the natural growth of population, the difference between the number of people being born and the number of people dying caused the population to increase by around 200,000 on an average per year during the last 12 years.

But in 2016, the UK’s total fertility rate fell to 1.81 children per woman as against 1.82 in 2015.  It also been shown by the figures that more women are delaying pregnancy. In addition, fertility levels in the UK are higher among Migrant Women.

According to mercatornet. com, the UK has an ageing population. About 18 percent of its population is aged over 65 now. To tackle this issue and increased longevity, the British government announced in the third week of July that the increase in the pension age to 68 will be phased between 2037 and 2039, instead of in 2044 as per the original proposal. Affected by this will be people currently aged between 39 and 47. The government has announced that people younger than that age group will have to await pension certainty.  It is averred that migrants’ children will mainly bear the costs of those pensions.