UK population hits 65.6 million

The population of the UK has seen its sharpest annual increase in nearly 70 years, official figures reveal.

Demographers' latest calculations show there were an estimated 65,648,000 people living in the country at the end of June last year.

Over the 12 months to the middle of 2016, the number of inhabitants rose by 0.8 per cent, or 538,000.

In numerical terms this is the largest increase in population since the year to mid-1947, when it went up by 551,000.

The Office for National Statistics said net international migration continued to be the main driver behind the growth, while there was also a rise in births and fewer deaths.