London Population Falls for First Time in 37 Years

London's population has seen its first substantial decrease in 37 years, with figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealing a drop of 26,737 people in the year to mid-2025. This decline brings the capital's total population to 9,122,909. The primary driver behind this reduction is a significant outward migration of residents to other parts of the United Kingdom.

In the twelve months leading up to June 2025, a total of 420,492 individuals relocated from London to different UK regions. This figure represents a substantial outflow, which was only partially offset by 288,531 people moving into London from elsewhere in the country. The net result was an outflow of 131,961 people due to domestic migration.

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Boroughs Experience Significant Outward Migration

Several London boroughs experienced considerable net population losses. Newham recorded the largest outflow, with 16,235 people leaving the area. Other boroughs with substantial net outflows included Brent, which saw 9,077 residents depart, and Redbridge, with 8,267 people moving away. Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Lambeth, and Hillingdon also registered significant numbers of residents leaving.

Despite the overall population decrease, London still experienced positive net international migration, with 51,839 more people arriving from overseas than leaving to live abroad. Additionally, the capital recorded more births than deaths, with 104,610 births against 50,399 deaths. However, these positive factors were insufficient to counteract the large number of people leaving London for other UK areas.

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Broader Trends in England and Wales

The population growth rate across England and Wales also slowed in mid-2025, reaching its lowest level since the Covid-19 pandemic. The combined population of England and Wales grew by 0.4%, an increase of 224,900 people, bringing the total to an estimated 62 million. This growth rate is a significant reduction from previous years, reflecting a broader trend of decreased net international migration to the UK.

Net international migration to England and Wales fell to 211,700 in the year to mid-2025, a sharp decrease from 612,500 in the preceding twelve months. Natural population change, the difference between births and deaths, contributed a smaller increase of 19,600 people. The number of births recorded was the lowest since mid-1978, while deaths were at their lowest since mid-2019.