Three-quarters of Scottish council areas expected to see population growth over next ten years

Three-quarters of Scottish local authority areas are expected to see growth in population over the next ten years, according to new official data.

The Population Projections for Scottish Areas, released by National Records of Scotland, show 24 council areas are expected to see growth, with most of the rise based in the central belt and in urban areas.

The population of Scotland is projected to rise from 5.4 million in 2016 to 5.58 million in 2026, and then continue to rise to 5.69 million in 2041 – an increase of five per cent over the 25 year period.

But people aged 75 or over are projected to be the fastest growing age group in Scotland, with the number of over 75s projected to increase by 27 per cent over the next decade and by 79 per cent over the next 25 years.

While the UK population is set to increase by 11.1 per cent up to 2041, Scotland’s population is set to rise by just 5.3 per cent in the same period.

Only Wales is projected to experience a lower level of population increase than Scotland.

Tim Ellis, the Registrar General for Scotland, said: “Migration is driving projected increases in population in most areas of Scotland over the next 10 years.

“Scotland’s population is also projected to age. Between 2016 and 2026, all council areas in Scotland are projected to experience an increase in their population aged 75 and over.”