The London statistics were contained in national figures showing that overall population growth across the UK has slowed to its lowest level since 2004 with only 361,000 people added to the numbers living here over the past year.
That equates to a 0.5 per cent increase and means that the total UK population, as measured in mid-2019, now stands at 66,796,807.
There is no new figure for London’s population in today’s statistics, although previous estimates have shown it to be heading towards 9 million.
The main reason for the latest national growth in population in today’s figures is net migration from overseas.
It accounted for 231,000 of the latest increase in the population with the rest the result of the difference between births and deaths. Births, however, were at their lowest level since 2005.
Unveiling today’s figures, Neil Park, from the Office for National Statistics, said: “The population grew at the slowest rate for 15 years between mid-2018 and mid-2019. This is due to the lowest number of births for 14 years alongside an increase in emigration and a fall in international immigration.
“The figures we’re publishing today highlight the variation in the population across the UK. For example, the population density in London is 24 times higher than that for the South West of England. Also, the proportion of people aged 65 or over ranges from over 30% in coastal areas such as North Norfolk to less than 8% in parts of central London like Tower Hamlets.”
