ONS · people

Great Britain population under each government

The full published series with each government’s time in office shaded. The table gives the level each government inherited and the last complete period before it left. Changes describe the period, not a cause. Definitions and caveats are on the metric page.

Published valueProvisional or revisedLatestShaded bands: governments (see labels)Hover or use arrow keys to read a value

Government	Inherited	Left at / latest	Change during government
Labour 2024–5 July 2024 – present	Fewer than two periods have been published during this government, so no change is shown yet.
Conservative 2019–202413 December 2019 – 5 July 2024	64,400,4682018	66,605,8012023	↑ 3.4%+2,205,333
Conservative 2017–20199 June 2017 – 13 December 2019	63,739,7992016	64,400,4682018	↑ 1.0%+660,669
Conservative 2015–20178 May 2015 – 9 June 2017	62,775,5072014	63,739,7992016	↑ 1.5%+964,292
Coalition 2010–201511 May 2010 – 8 May 2015	60,467,1532009	62,775,5072014	↑ 3.8%+2,308,354
Labour 2005–20106 May 2005 – 11 May 2010	58,236,3222004	60,467,1532009	↑ 3.8%+2,230,831
Labour 2001–20058 June 2001 – 5 May 2005	57,203,1212000	58,236,3222004	↑ 1.8%+1,033,201
Labour 1997–20012 May 1997 – 7 June 2001	56,502,6231996	57,203,1212000	↑ 1.2%+700,498
Conservative 1992–199710 April 1992 – 2 May 1997	55,831,3631991	56,502,6231996	↑ 1.2%+671,260
Conservative 1987–199212 June 1987 – 9 April 1992	55,110,3341986	55,831,3631991	↑ 1.3%+721,029
Conservative 1983–198710 June 1983 – 11 June 1987	54,746,1661982	55,110,3341986	↑ 0.7%+364,168
Conservative 1979–19834 May 1979 – 9 June 1983	54,654,8001978	54,746,1661982	↑ 0.2%+91,366