Net migration figures show the difference between the number of people moving long-term to the country and the number of people leaving. It would be net zero if the number of people leaving was equal to those arriving. ​The latest official figures showed that net migration dropped to 204,000 in the year to June, down 69% year-on-year, and raising the possibility of Britain reaching net zero before the end of the decade, according to some forecasters. But if net migration stayed positive, a larger working-age population would broaden the tax base and help stabilise the debt to GDP ratio, Niesr said. Stephen Millard, Niesr’s deputy director for macroeconomics, said: “Our analysis clearly shows that net zero migration would put pressure on the public finances and worsen the public debt outlook.

Source: The Times February 04, 2026 00:29 UTC