Revised Migration Data Shows UK Net Influx Down by One Fifth

Newly revised statistics from the Office for National Statistics reveal that the UK’s net migration for 2024 has been significantly reduced from initial estimates, with a downward adjustment of 86,000 people. The revised figure places the net migration at 345,000 for the year, compared to the previously reported 431,000.

The primary factor behind this revision is a higher number of British citizens emigrating from the UK than initially accounted for, with the ONS now estimating 257,000 British nationals left the country in 2024, up from previous estimates. This has led to a net emigration of 114,000 Britons, compared to an earlier estimate of 17,000.

The migration peak during the April 2022-March 2023 period has also been revised upward to 944,000 people, up from the previous estimate of 906,000. This revision follows the ONS’s implementation of a new methodology that tracks migration through tax and benefits records rather than relying on airport and port surveys.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch acknowledged the revised figures, stating that the previous Conservative government had taken steps to address immigration concerns. She admitted that immigration levels had been too high during the period when the Conservative government was in power.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s administration has introduced measures aimed at reducing net migration, including restrictions on overseas recruitment of care workers, tightened skilled worker visa requirements, and increased costs for employers seeking to hire foreign workers.

The revised data has only a minor impact on the overall migration estimate for the 2021-2024 period, reducing it from 2.6 million to 2.5 million people. Migration experts caution that while the new methodology provides more accurate data, it is still subject to refinement as the ONS continues to refine its migration tracking systems.