BLACKBURN with Darwen is one of only 15 local authorities in England where the population will fall by 2026, according to official estimates.

In 2016 the population was 148,500. By 2026 the Office for National Statistics expects it to drop to 148,000, a reduction of 0.3%

The average population change across the North East was a 3.4% increase, and almost all other areas saw population growth.

Tower Hamlets in London is projected to be the fastest growing local authority in England, with the population increasing by 17.8% by 2026.

These figures are part of the ONS' population projections. Every two years it estimates how the population of England will change over the next 25 years.

Statisticians study birth and death rates, look at how the area's population is ageing, and then adjust for national and international migration.

In Blackburn with Darwen the percentage of the population made up by pensioners is expected to rise from 14.1% in 2016 to 16.4% 10 years later. And by 2036 the ONS thinks over 65s will make up 19.5% of the local authority's residents.

While people are living longer due to improvements in healthcare and technology, the ageing population also puts greater pressure on the NHS and social care.

The ONS expects the birth rate to outstrip the death rate in Blackburn with Darwen. It also estimates that net migration will drop by 8,500 in 2026.

Andrew Nash, from the ONS, explained that most areas of England are expected to grow over the next 10 years, with an average increase of 5.9%.

He 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 North East, where growth is mostly down to migration. What's also clear is that the population is ageing in all regions, with the number of people aged 65 and over growing considerably faster than younger age groups."

And the ONS predicts that by the year 2041 the population of Blackburn with Darwen will have dropped to 146,100.