Migration helps Scotland’s population hit new record high, figures show

Migration to Scotland has helped the country’s population reach a new record high of 5,546,900, figures show.

Statistics from the National Records of Scotland (NRS) reveal the number of people living in Scotland first passed the 5.5 million mark in 2023.

The population then increased by 40,900 (0.7%) between mid-2023 and mid-2024, with NRS experts saying this growth was “higher than the average for the previous 20 years”.

NRS estimates that on June 30 2024, there were 5,546,900 people living in Scotland, with a report stating: “This is the highest Scotland’s population has ever been.”

It has been “growing since the turn of the century”, NRS said, despite figures showing the number of deaths has exceeded the total number of births in each of the last 10 years.

In the year to mid-2024, NRS said 62,000 deaths were recorded in Scotland, compared to 46,400 births.

However the data also shows the number of people moving to Scotland was almost double the number who left.

While 68,200 people moved away from Scotland in the year to mid-2024, 124,600 arrived.

This included 76,100 people who came to Scotland from overseas, with the report saying international immigration has fallen but it “remains historically high”.

The NRS report said “migration has been adding to Scotland’s population for the last 24 years, as more people have moved to Scotland than left each year”.

Andrew White, head of population and migration statistics at NRS, said: “We can now say that Scotland’s population passed the 5.5 million mark for the first time in 2023. This was driven by people moving to Scotland.

“The population increased further in the year to mid-2024. In every council area, more people moved in than left in the latest figures.

“Midlothian was the only council area to see more births than deaths in the year to June 2024. It is one of the fastest growing areas of Scotland alongside Glasgow, Edinburgh, East Lothian and West Lothian.”

But he noted: “The areas with declining populations are Argyll and Bute, Angus, Dundee, Na h-Eileanan Siar, and Dumfries and Galloway. These areas haven’t seen enough people moving in to make up for the gap between deaths and births.”

Equalities minister Kaukab Stewart said the statistics demonstrate “the continuing appeal of Scotland as an attractive country for people to live, work, study and settle in”.

Ms Stewart said: “We welcome people from around the world and other parts of the UK who want to build their lives here, and it is notable that more people have again moved to Scotland from the rest of the UK than have moved the other way.”

She also highlighted “just how crucial immigration is to ensuring Scotland has a greater proportion of working age people to fill skills gaps, sustain public services, contribute to communities, and grow the economy”, and she urged the UK Government to act on such issues.

Ms Stewart said: “To enable us to address our demographic challenges, migration policies must be tailored to Scotland’s distinct needs.

“We will continue to press the UK Government to work with us on the introduction of tailored migration routes for Scotland, including a Scottish graduate visa, to help us retain capable people from around the world, and to deliver a rural visa pilot tailored to the needs of our rural and island communities.”

The NRS figures also show that Scotland’s population is increasingly elderly.

By mid-2024, an estimated 20.5% of the population were aged 65 and over, an increase from 16.2% in the two decades since mid-2004.

Around 16.2% of the population were estimated to be 15 or younger last year, a decrease from 18.4% in mid-2004.