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The first population estimate for England and Wales transcript

Becky Tinsley, Deputy Director, Office for National Statistics:
Before census last year, we ran a campaign called Let’s Count!, and that helped two million children and their parents to learn about the importance of census. So I’m here today in Havant to reveal the population of England and Wales.

And the children are delighted to reveal that the official estimate was… 3, 2, 1…

…59,597,300.

[Crowd cheers]

Today’s statistics really start to paint a picture of us as a nation and how we are living during the pandemic. It’s shown that we are an aging population. More than one in six of us are pensioners, and it’s the first time ever that the population of age 90 plus has exceeded half a million.

On-screen text:
The population figures for Wales were announced at a primary school in Tonyrefail.

ONS Spokesperson:
It’s 3,107,500.

[Children cheer]

Becky Tinsley, Deputy Director, Office for National Statistics:
The census benefits everybody. It’s used by government, charities, business and councils to plan the local and national services that we all rely on every day. It’s vitally important that we collect these results. So thanks to everyone who filled out their census forms and made the census such a success.