Families head south in search of a better life

Towns and cities in the North are declining in size as families and workers head south in search of jobs and a better quality of life.

Over the past ten years, 93 per cent cent of the areas which have seen a significant fall in population are in the north of the country, according to new research.

Liverpool (left) has suffered a decline in population as workers head south for areas such as London

By contrast, 62 per cent of those showing the biggest influx of newcomers were in the South.

The population of some parts of London soared by a staggering 40 per cent, while the total number of people in the capital surged by 542,000.

The same pattern was seen in the South-East, up 456,000, and the east of England, where there was an increase of 394,000.

The situation is creating major social problems at both ends of the population shift.

In the South, there is huge pressure on housing, the health services and schools.

In the North, communities are losing the young families and bright workers who were the lifeblood of the local economy.

Last month, the Conservative think-tank Policy Exchange triggered outrage with a suggestion that cities like Liverpool should effectively be abandoned amid an effort to encourage people to move south.

Tory leader David Cameron was forced to disown the idea.

But now a report from the Halifax, published on Friday, indicates that just such an exodus has been occurring over the last ten years.

The study shows Liverpool suffered a 21,000 fall in its population, which was the biggest of any city. Belfast came second in terms of decline with a fall of 20,000.

Halifax economist Martin Ellis said Liverpool's population has fallen every year since 1997.

By contrast, Manchester showed 10 per cent population growth amid a major redevelopment of the centre, including thousands of new apartments.

The Halifax says the total UK population grew by 2.66million  -  around 5 per cent  -  over the last decade, to 60.98million.

A major factor, accounting for 61 per cent of the increase, was the arrival of immigrants, including many from new EU members such as Poland.

However, the fact that people are living longer also played its part. Births exceeded deaths by an average of 103,000 a year.

The Halifax said the nation's fertility rate  -  the number of babies born to each woman  -  has risen from an average of 1.7 in 1997 to 1.9 today, the highest figure since 1980.

The change is thought to be related to the arrival of a large number of young people from overseas.

The London Room

The four local authorities recording the largest population growth were all in Greater London.

The figure in the City of London leapt by 40 per cent, and there were increases of 29 per cent in Westminster, 26 per cent in Kensington & Chelsea and 25 per cent in Camden.

These four areas are among the wealthiest in the country and have proved a magnet for millionaires from overseas, including City investors and lawyers.

Overall, Greater London saw an 8 per cent rise in population in the past decade, taking the total to 7.56million.

Other regions to show a greater than average rise were the east of England, South-west and East Midlands, on 7 per cent, and the Southeast with 6 per cent.