Driven by record immigration, the population of  England and Wales witnessed the biggest annual increase in 75 years, official data revealed on Monday.

According to data released by the country's Office for National Statistics, the population grew by almost 610,000 to 60.9 million in mid-2023.

"In the year to mid-2023, we estimate that 1,084,000 people immigrated to England and Wales from outside the UK, while 462,000 emigrated; this makes net international migration to England and Wales 622,000," the official statement said.

There were an estimated 598,000 deaths in England and Wales in the year to mid-2023, an increase of 24,000 compared with mid-2022; the number of births in the year to mid-2023 was 598,400, a decrease of 21,900 compared with the year to mid-2022.

Natural change (the difference between births and deaths) was 400 in the year to mid-2023; this was the lowest figure since the year to mid-1978.

In the year to mid-2023, there were 13,800 net internal moves out of England and Wales to the rest of the UK.

The data was released just days after Britain voted to elect new PM Keir Starmer-led Labour party to power.