The population of England and Wales is estimated to have grown by more than 700,000 people in the year to June - driven almost entirely by international migration.
It is the second largest annual numerical rise in over 75 years - behind only the increase of more than 800,000 people that took place from mid-2022 to mid-2023.
There were an estimated 61.8 million people in England and Wales in mid-2024, up 706,881 from 61.1 million in mid-2023, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Almost all of this increase was due to international migration, with natural change - the difference between births and deaths - accounting for only a small proportion.
Net international migration - the difference between people moving to the country and leaving - accounted for 690,147 of the estimated population increase of 706,881 people, or 98 per cent of the total, the ONS said.
