The population of the UK will be the largest in Europe by 2050, overtaking France and Germany, mainly due to an ageing population and immigration.

The UK has seen more births than deaths in every year since 1976, helping drive the population to 65m, according to figures released by the Office for National Statistics.

This figure will soar to 76m in 2045.

A quarter of the population will be over 65 in three decades

Increasing life expectancy is one of the main reasons for the population increase - with people living longer due to improved healthcare and lifestyles. Girls born in 2015 can expect to live 82.8 years from birth, while boys will live to 79.1 years.

This has meant that the proportion of people aged over 65 has increased from 14.1 per cent in 1975 to 17.8 per cent in 2015 - and is projected to expand further to almost a quarter of the population by 2045.