FOI reference: FOI-2026-3663
You asked
In your most recent long-term international migration release on Table 7a, there is data on the age and sex of UK nationals immigrating and emigrating.
I understand that these estimates are from the Registration and Population Interaction Database (RAPID) database where someone's National Insurance (NI) number becomes dormant (implying emigration) and then active again (implying re-immigration).
- Instead of age groupings (under 16, 16 to 24, etc), can I get the figures for both emigration and immigration by single year?
- For those immigrating, what proportion were previously marked by RAPID as emigrating in previous years?
- Where RAPID flagged someone as leaving in a previous year and then returning, I would like by age (single year, if possible) how many were marked as previously emigrating, and how long they were away for (in single years)? Can this be done for the year ending (YE) December 2025 data?
We said
Thank you for your Freedom of Information request.
We can confirm that we hold information to answer your first question on estimates for British nationals for both emigration and immigration by singe year of age and sex for the year ending (YE) December 2025. These data are used internally for the purposes of statistical processing to produce the long-term international migration estimates.
Due to the work involved in prepping this information for public release, this would need to be produced via our bespoke services route for a charge. These services are subject to disclosure controls, legal frameworks and an agreement of costs in line with our charging rates. To discuss an order for this information, please contact pop.info@ons.gov.uk.
As the requested information is reasonably accessible via another route, even if only on payment, the exemption found under s.21(2)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act (2000) applies.
However, please note that we advise caution when using this information. Estimates are based on applying residency rules to the Registration and Population Interaction Database (RAPID) data to derive preliminary immigration and emigration estimates.
These are then adjusted to address known gaps in the RAPID data for those not interacting with the tax and benefits system. Data are provisional for YE December 2025, as they are forecast data based on YE March 2025 tax year. Full details of the method are described in our Implementing new methods for estimating the international migration of British nationals, progress update: 2025 article.
Further research to improve estimates of British nationals' migration is in progress investigating the possibility of estimating British nationals using travel data.
Unfortunately, we do not hold the information you have requested to answer your second and third question.