London’s population shrank for the first time since the COVID pandemic as more than 400,000 people left the capital last year to move to other parts of the UK. All other regions in England saw their numbers rise, government data showed.
Although London recorded more births than deaths, and international migrants into the city outnumbered Londoners leaving the UK, the outflow was driven largely by people in their 30s and 40s, many with children, leaving London.
The capital has been plagued by a cost of living crisis, slower pay growth, and higher levels of unemployment than other parts of the country. London has also seen a sharp drop in student enrollments, causing more school closures and funding cuts.
