London's Foreign-Born Population Exceeds 40%, Census Reveals Significant Demographic Shift
London, the capital of the United Kingdom, has a foreign-born population exceeding 40% of its total residents, according to the 2021 Census. This figure significantly surpasses the UK's national average of 16%. The Migration Observatory's briefing highlights that nearly half of all foreign-born residents in the UK resided in London and the South East in 2021/22. This concentration makes London a unique demographic outlier compared to other UK regions, where percentages of foreign-born residents are below the national average. For instance, the North East, Wales, and Northern Ireland reported the lowest shares, at 7%, 7%, and 9% respectively. The overall foreign-born population in the UK has seen a substantial increase, rising by 143% from 5.4 million in 2004 to an estimated 13.1 million in 2024. This growth has been primarily driven by individuals born outside the EU, particularly since the introduction of the post-Brexit immigration system.
