The recent figures from the Office for National Statistics revealed that for the first time in history, UK population is more than 61.3 million. It is believed that baby boom is the reason behind increase of more than two million over 2001. Immigration has also contributed to this baby boom.

Growth of such size was witnessed in 1962, when the population rose by 484,000. However the 1947 post-war baby boom led to highest increase in population leading to 551,000.

It was also observed that natural change, the difference between birth rate and death rate has become the main influence on population growth leaving net migration behind. This phenomenon has occurred for the first time nearly in decade.

Highest fertility rate in more than three decades and decrease in net immigration by 44 per cent to 118,000 last year has led to lower effect of migration over population growth. But still immigration had affected growth rate as non-UK born mothers were reason behind more than half of the increase in births last year.

Chief statistician Karen Dunnell said: 'You have to say that probably the unemployment and the economic situation, given that quite a lot of people from the A8 [Eastern European] countries are coming to work, is probably having an impact.'