Romanian is now second most common non-British nationality in the UK

Romanians have overtaken the Irish to become the second most common group of non-British nationals in the UK.

According to new Office for National Statistics (ONS) data there are now 411,000 Romanians living in the UK, up from just 175,000 in 2014.

This spike is down to the relaxing of restrictions on Romanians entering the labour market.

Poles top the list however, with an estimated one million Polish nationals currently calling the UK home.

Released yesterday, the figures reveal that there are 350,000 Irish, 346,000 Indians and 297,000 Italians living in the UK, while the total number of non-British nationals stands at 6.2 million.

When those who have also gained British citizenship are included, this figure reaches 9.4 million.

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It is predicted that England’s population will grow by 5.9 per cent in the coming years, from 55 million in mid-2016 to more than 58 million by mid-2026.

The population of London is expected to reach 9.5 million by 2026, an increase of 8.8 per cent.

ONS population expert Andrew Nash said: “While the overall populations of all regions in England are projected to increase over the next decade, reasons for these increases vary greatly depending on where you live.

“For instance, projected population change in London is mainly caused by natural change — the difference between the number of births and deaths — and not migration.

“This is because London’s net inflow of international migrants is offset by a similar number of people moving to other parts of the UK. That contrasts with the northeast, where growth is mostly down to migration.”