evidence: All estimates are likely to be revised within the next year as new data becomes available and improvements to estimates of international migration continue to be made, the ONS added. [...] This was the highest rate of annual growth for England, Wales and Scotland since comparable data began in 1971, while for Northern Ireland it was the highest since mid-2019. [...] By contrast, England saw slightly more births (570,700) than deaths (560,900), as did Northern Ireland (20,100 births, 17,600 deaths).