London population fell in 2025, ONS figures show
The capital was the only English region to record a population decrease, with 23 boroughs shrinking.
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London was the only region in England to experience a population decrease in 2025, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The capital's population fell by 0.3% compared to 2024, while all other English regions saw growth. This marks the first population decline for London since 2021.
Across London, 23 out of 33 boroughs recorded shrinking populations. Camden saw the largest percentage decrease at 1.8%. Westminster and Southwark both recorded falls of 1.5%. The ONS mid-year population estimates are based on data collected in June.
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London's estimated population in 2025 was 9,122,909, a reduction from 9,149,646 the previous year. The ONS stated that while London experienced more births than deaths and net inward international migration, these factors were outweighed by people moving from London to other parts of the UK.
The population of England and Wales as a whole grew by 0.4% to 62 million in mid-2025. This represented the lowest annual population growth rate since 2020. Net international migration to England and Wales fell significantly, from 612,500 in the year to mid-2024 to 211,700 in the year to mid-2025.
Natural population change, the difference between births and deaths, also saw a slight drop. There were 588,000 births and 568,400 deaths, resulting in a natural increase of only 19,600 people. The number of births was the lowest recorded since mid-1978, and deaths were the lowest since mid-2019.
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Questions this report answers
+Which London borough had the biggest population drop?
Camden recorded the largest percentage population decrease at 1.8%. This was the highest drop among all 33 London boroughs, with Westminster and Southwark also seeing significant falls of 1.5%.
+Why did London’s population fall in 2025?
London’s population fell by 0.3% because more people moved out of the capital to other parts of the UK than moved in. Despite having more births than deaths and net inward international migration, these gains were outweighed by outward movement.
+How much did England and Wales’ population grow by?
England and Wales’ population grew by 0.4% to 62 million in mid-2025. This was the lowest annual growth rate since 2020, reflecting a significant fall in net international migration compared to previous years.
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