Britain's population is expected to increase by 4.4 million to 65 million by 2016, official estimates showed today.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the country's population was 60.6 million in 2006 and that it would pass 70 million by 2028 and reach 71 million by 2031.
The ONS said it expected net migration to increase by an average 220,000 per year between 2006 and 2011, slowing to growth of around 190,000 per year until 2031.