THE number of Irish-born people living in the UK is almost 100,000 higher than Ireland’s British-born population, new Brexit-related analysis shows.
The official study by the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) also reveals that Donegal is the most popular county to which UK residents are relocating.
On average 375,900 people born in Ireland were living in the UK from January 2013 to December 2015, compared with 277,200 UK-born people in Ireland last year.
The report – the latest in a series of publications looking at cross-border movements in the wake of last year’s Brexit referendum – reveals the differences in age between the two communities.
Explore migration between the UK and Ireland in the latest in the Living Abroad series of reports on the UK & the EU https://t.co/Uy1IlLBEmp
— ONS (@ONS) September 21, 2017
More than three quarters (79 per cent) of British-born people living in Ireland are between 15 and 64 years old.
But the Irish-born population living in the UK is older, with the figure for the same age range lying at just 55 per cent.
Of the Irish in Britain, two in five (42 per cent) were aged 65 years and over, compared with just 10 per cent of the British-born population in Ireland.
Here are some of the most noteworthy findings of the ONS 'Living Abroad' report:
- For the Irish in Britain, one in three work in a professional occupation with the most common professions teaching and education, nursing and midwifery, and IT and telecommunication;
- UK-born people make up one in eight workers in "Culture, media and sports occupations" in Ireland;
- On average 73% of Irish-born residents were employed in the UK from 2013-2015;
- The most common reason for Irish people to visit the UK was to visit family (41%);
- There were 3.7 million visits from the UK to Ireland last year, with seeing friends or relatives the most common reason for making the trip, followed by holidays;
- In February 2017, of all UK state pensions received by residents living in the European Union (excluding the UK), 28% were received by those living in Ireland;
- There are an estimated 110 million border crossings annually between Ireland and Northern Ireland for all reasons including work, business, trade, education, health and family.
Statistics for Irish people visiting the UK (Picture: Office for National Statistics)Emma Rourke, ONS director of Public Policy Analysis, said: "The complex and historic relationship between the UK and Ireland is one of the most challenging areas facing the UK and the EU as Brexit negotiations proceed.
"The sort of analysis we have published today with our colleagues in the Irish and Northern Ireland statistical agencies is going to be indispensable as these negotiations develop.
"It will be more important than ever to have clear and comprehensive data on how and where citizens of our two countries are living and working across borders.”
