A permanent demographic shift that will reshape the UK's economy for decades is projected to begin this year. Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) indicate that 2026 will mark a historic turning point as the number of deaths begins to outnumber births annually, ending more than a century of natural population growth as fertility rates fall and the number of pensioners increases.
In the 2024-based projections released this week, the ONS confirmed that deaths will exceed births in the UK from mid-2026 onwards. The report indicates that approximately 450,000 more deaths than births are expected to occur between mid-2024 and mid-2034.
