Isles of Scilly
South West · England · E060000532,055 people at the 2021 Census. This profile combines observed Census data with clearly labelled modelled projections. Read the methodology and limitations or inspect the official sources.
Isles of Scilly had 2,055 residents at the 2021 Census, down 6.7% from 2,203 in 2011. The three largest ethnic groups were White British (93.7%), White Other (3.8%) and Mixed (1.1%). This site's Hamilton-Perry model (version 8.0, projected from the 2011 and 2021 Censuses, held within the ONS 2022-based subnational population projections) puts the three largest groups in 2051 at White British (71.7%), White Other (11.3%) and Asian (6.3%).
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Isles of Scilly and the nearest councils, on the map
Isles of Scilly's estimated population rose 3.4% between mid-2011 and mid-2025, from 2,224 to 2,299 (ONS mid-year estimates, table MYE4). Its White British share fell 1.0 points between the 2011 and 2021 Censuses, from 94.7% to 93.7% (ONS Census 2011 table KS201EW, Census 2021 table TS021).
Population of Isles of Scilly, 2011 to 2025
| Council | Mid-2011 | Mid-2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cornwall | 533,760 | 584,782 | +9.6% |
| Isles of Scilly | 2,224 | 2,299 | +3.4% |
Change since mid-2011, every year
| Council | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cornwall | 0.0% | +0.7% | +1.2% | +1.9% | +2.5% | +3.3% | +4.3% | +4.9% | +5.6% | +5.9% | +7.2% | +7.8% | +8.5% | +9.1% | +9.6% |
| Isles of Scilly | 0.0% | +1.1% | −0.4% | −1.6% | +0.6% | +0.5% | −2.4% | −2.6% | −5.7% | −8.7% | +2.1% | +5.8% | +10.8% | +7.1% | +3.4% |
Ethnic groups in Isles of Scilly, 2011 and 2021
The map shows the White British share. The bars show all six groups, on one scale, for each council in 2011 and 2021.
- White British
- White Other
- Asian
- Black
- Mixed
- Other
| Council | 2011 | 2021 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cornwall | 95.8% | 93.6% | −2.1 pts |
| Isles of Scilly | 94.7% | 93.7% | −1.0 pts |
All six groups, 2011 and 2021
| Council | Census | White British | White Other | Asian | Black | Mixed | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cornwall | 2011 | 95.8% | 2.5% | 0.7% | 0.1% | 0.8% | 0.2% |
| Cornwall | 2021 | 93.6% | 3.2% | 0.7% | 0.2% | 1.2% | 1.1% |
| Isles of Scilly | 2011 | 94.7% | 4.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.8% | 0.2% |
| Isles of Scilly | 2021 | 93.7% | 3.8% | 0.3% | 0.2% | 1.1% | 0.9% |
Ethnic composition trajectory
Solid to 2021 is Census. Dashed after that is the model, which was scored against Census 2021 before publication: a mean absolute error of 1.56 percentage points on that one-decade forecast and a bias of +0.05 points, close to unbiased.
Ethnic composition, Isles of Scilly
White British White Other Asian Black Mixed Other
Census, observed Projected, modelled
Show the figures
| Year | White British | White Other | Asian | Black | Mixed | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 94.7% | 4.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.8% | 0.2% |
| 2021 | 93.7% | 3.8% | 0.3% | 0.2% | 1.1% | 0.9% |
| 2026 modelled | 91.3% | 4.9% | 0.7% | 0.4% | 1.5% | 1.3% |
| 2031 modelled | 87.6% | 6.2% | 1.6% | 0.8% | 1.9% | 1.7% |
| 2036 modelled | 83.7% | 7.7% | 2.6% | 1.3% | 2.4% | 2.3% |
| 2041 modelled | 79.5% | 9.1% | 3.8% | 1.9% | 2.8% | 2.9% |
| 2046 modelled | 75.5% | 10.3% | 5.0% | 2.5% | 3.2% | 3.4% |
| 2051 modelled | 71.7% | 11.3% | 6.3% | 3.2% | 3.7% | 3.9% |
Ethnic composition: Isles of Scilly
Census 2011, Census 2021, then Hamilton-Perry projections to 2051. Percentages.
White British White Other Asian Black Mixed Other
Scenario explorer
Under different assumptions, White British share in Isles of Scilly ranges from 6.3% to 12.5% by 2051: a 6.1pp spread.
Fertility
Low ~108k/yr
Principal ~315k/yr
High ~476k/yr
Constant Rates stay at current levels
Half convergence Move halfway to national avg
Full convergence Converge to national avg
Migration
Central scenario: WBI 7.3% by 2051
Diversity index
low diversity Shannon entropy: 0.17 · Dissimilarity: 19.3
Religion
Census 2021 religious composition with projections to 2051.
Religious composition trajectory
Christian No religion
Census, observed Projected, modelled
Show the figures
| Year | Christian | No religion |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 50.1% | 49.3% |
| 2031 modelled | 38.1% | 61.2% |
| 2041 modelled | 27.4% | 71.8% |
| 2051 modelled | 18.8% | 80.4% |
Country of birth
UK-born vs foreign-born share, with projection to 2051.
Nativity trajectory
UK-born Foreign-born
Census, observed Projected, modelled
Show the figures
| Year | UK-born | Foreign-born |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 94.5% | 5.5% |
| 2031 modelled | 90.4% | 9.6% |
| 2041 modelled | 83.8% | 16.2% |
| 2051 modelled | 74.0% | 26.0% |
English proficiency
Census 2021
Main language English97.7%
Main language not English2.3%
Cannot speak English well0.2%
Cannot speak English at all0.1%
Total population 3+1,986
ONS Census 2021 (TS029) via NOMIS. Reference date 21 March 2021.
Data flag 2.3% of residents aged 3 and over have a main language other than English (Census 2021, TS029), below the 15% line this site uses to flag language demand. A threshold on one Census variable, not a service-planning assessment. This site publishes no projection of language: it models ethnic group, and ethnic composition change is not a measure of language change.
Demographic change and service exposure
A composite score from five capped components. It measures exposure to demographic change, not service cost or capacity, and it has not been validated against observed service demand. See how the score is built.
Ethnic change20/20
Asylum0/20
School6/20
Language2/20
Housing10/20
Arrivals over the last 24 years
Annual NINo registrations to adults from overseas in Isles of Scilly from 2002 to 2025, alongside the UK total for context. The peak year was 2019 (41 registrations). Total over the full period: 322 registrations.
DWP Stat-Xplore, NINO Registrations to Adult Overseas Nationals Entering the UK (Ninos cube), aggregated per calendar year by summing the four constituent quarters. Geography: ONS LA codes. Counts are NEW NINo registrations per calendar year. A NINo is issued once per person at the point of first work or claim, so this is a flow measure, not a stock. People who arrive but never register (some students, dependants, retirees) are excluded. Late registrations show in a later year than the year of arrival. Pre-2010 figures used a different administrative system; series is comparable but small methodological revisions to the early years are possible.
How Isles of Scilly changed: 2011 to 2021
Two snapshots from two consecutive Censuses, ten years apart. Population changed from 2,203 in 2011 to 2,055 in 2021 (-6.7%). Non-UK-born residents went from 133 (6.0% of population) to 115 (5.6%).
Group 2011 2021 Change
UK-born 2,070 94% 1,940 94.4% -130
Ireland-born 8 0.4% 3 0.1% -5
EU pre-2001 (France, Germany, Italy, etc.) 18 0.8% 27 1.3% +9
EU 2001-2011 accession (Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, etc.) 36 1.6% 43 2.1% +7
Rest of World 71 3.2% 42 2% -29
Source: ONS Census 2011 KS204EW (NOMIS NM_611_1) and Census 2021 TS012 (NOMIS NM_2032_1), aligned to broad country-of-birth groups. 2011 data uses 2011 LA boundaries; 2021 data uses 2023 boundaries. LAs whose ONS code changed between Censuses (Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire, North Yorkshire, Somerset reorganisations) are not in this comparison.
Schools, first language
Across 1 state-funded schools in Isles of Scilly (243 pupils, 2025/26), 1.2% have a first language other than English.
Pupils with first language other than English3 (1.2%)
Pupils with first language English240 (98.8%)
Free school meals4.2%
Source: DfE Schools, Pupils and their Characteristics 2025/26, school-level data aggregated to district. EAL (English as Additional Language) is a household-level signal: children born in the UK to non-English-speaking households count as EAL.
South West labour market
Payrolled employments in the South West region (December 2025). Provides Isles of Scilly with regional context. Local-authority RTI is not published; the region is the smallest geography for HMRC's nationality breakdown.
Total employments2,654,300
Non-UK share13.7%
5-year change · Non-EU +128,600
5-year change · EU -14,300
Top industries by non-UK share (South West)
Administrative and support services 23.7%
Health and social work 22.3%
Transportation and storage 18.8%
Accommodation and food service activities 18.7%
Manufacturing 15.9%
Source: HM Revenue and Customs, PAYE Real Time Information, payrolled employments by region and industrial sector, July 2014 to December 2025; the five-year change runs from December 2020. Counts are employments not employees, rounded to the nearest 100; suppressed cells appear as missing.
Crime
Police-recorded crime rates per 1,000 population, Year ending March 2026, ONS. Isles of Scilly ranks lowest of 311 areas nationally for total crime rate.
Total crime / 1k32.2
Violent crime / 1k14.8
Theft / 1k8.7
Drug offences / 1k1.3
Year-on-year +15.6%
ONS, Crime in England and Wales: Police Force Area data tables, year ending March 2026 (released 23 July 2026), Tables C1, C2 and C5, police recorded crime from the Home Office; rates per 1,000 residents on ONS mid-2025 population estimates. Police recorded crime is shaped by recording practice, reporting rates and policing priority, and city centre rates are inflated by small resident populations. Offences a force could not place in any area are left out of area figures; each area shows its force's unassigned share.
Adult social care
Council spending on adult social care (2024-25) and residential care for people aged 65 and over (2024-25), against each age group's population in the ONS mid-2025 estimates. Spend per adult ranks highest of 153 areas nationally.
Gross spend per adult (18+), 2024-25£1,122
Department of Health and Social Care, Adult social care finance report, England: 2024 to 2025, Table 14; Department of Health and Social Care, Adult social care activity report, England: 2024 to 2025, Table 34; Office for National Statistics, Mid-Year Population Estimates, England and Wales, June 2025, for the per-head rates. Adult social care is run by upper tier councils (counties, unitaries, metropolitan districts and London boroughs), so a district shows its county's figures. Spend reflects age structure, deprivation and unpaid care, so differences between councils are not a measure of efficiency. Activity figures are official statistics in development.
Department of Health and Social Care change note on the activity report, 7 October 2026: “Added notice of planned corrections to the 2024 to 2025 activity report, affecting data submitted by some local authorities. Updated figures will be published alongside the 2025 to 2026 activity report.”
Health by ethnic group
Share reporting "not good health" in each of Isles of Scilly's largest ethnic groups, Census 2021.
White 16.0%
White: English 16.4%
White: Gypsy or Irish Traveller 1.4%
ONS Census 2021 (RM043 - General health by ethnic group by age) via NOMIS. All ages, no age-standardisation: younger ethnic-group populations will show lower rates partly because they're younger, not necessarily because they're healthier. Group labels shortened for display.
Special educational needs
EHCPs and primary need breakdown, 2025/26 academic year. 5-year EHCP growth ranks lowest of 144 areas nationally.
Pupils with an EHC plan, % of pupils2.5%
Pupils with an EHC plan6
Autism, share of EHC plans50.0%
5-yr growth -33.3%
Autistic spectrum disorder 50.0%
Speech, language and communications needs 33.3%
Specific learning difficulty 16.7%
DfE, Special educational needs in England, academic year 2025/26, published 11 June 2026, Explore Education Statistics: pupils in all schools by type of SEN provision, and pupils with an EHC plan by primary type of need. SEND is run by upper-tier councils, so district pages show their county. Figures count pupils on the January school census who have an EHC plan; plans held by children under school age, young people in further education and those not in school are not included. The autism figure is the share of pupils with an EHC plan whose primary need is autism, not a prevalence in the population. Rising numbers may reflect identification, diagnosis and parental awareness as well as need.
How NHS care for overseas residents is funded (national context)
Most non-UK residents in Isles of Scilly pay for NHS care up-front through the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS), which is added to most visa applications. Asylum seekers, refugees, ILR holders and Irish citizens are exempt. Visitors and undocumented residents are charged at 150% of the national NHS tariff. The figures below are England + Wales national totals; per-LA NHS cost-recovery is not centrally published.
Current IHS rate (adult, per year) £1,035
IHS rate, students/under-18s (per year) £776
IHS revenue 2024/25 (£m) £1,315.6m
Cumulative IHS revenue 2015-2024 £6.9bn
IHS rate history
- From 2015-04-06: £200/year adult, £150/year students/under-18s
- From 2019-01-08: £400/year adult, £300/year students/under-18s
- From 2020-10-27: £624/year adult, £470/year students/under-18s
- From 2024-02-06: £1035/year adult, £776/year students/under-18s
Indicative charges for visitors and undocumented residents
Maternity care is classified as "immediately necessary": it cannot be refused or delayed for charging, but it is invoiced afterwards at 150% of the NHS national tariff.
- Routine vaginal delivery, no complications: £3,000-£5,500
- Caesarean section: £5,000-£7,500
- Premature birth with NICU stay: £15,000-£30,000+
- Antenatal appointment: £150-£400 each
Sources: NHS (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 2015 (as amended); Home Office IHS caseworker guidance (Sept 2025); House of Commons Library briefing CBP-7274; NHS England NHS Payment Scheme (national tariff). Approximately 80% of identified overseas-visitor debt across all NHS treatment is uncollected (NAO, follow-up scrutiny).
Economic profile
Avg employment rate64.5%
Avg home ownership45.3%
Avg social rent17.2%
Degree or above37.4%
No qualifications12.3%
Housing
Composition today
How dwellings in Isles of Scilly are occupied. Single-person households and houses in multiple occupation are the two cleanest signals.
Single-person discount take-up26.6%
Dwellings on 25% single-person discount306
HMO dwellings (Census 2021)8
HMOs per 1,000 population3.89
Sources: MHCLG Council Taxbase 2025 (CTB, snapshot 6 October 2025) for single-person discount; ONS Census 2021 RM192 for HMO dwellings. HMO Census numbers reflect dwellings classified as HMO on Census Day; current licensing registers held by individual councils are not centrally published.
Tenure by ethnic group
Household ownership rates for Isles of Scilly's largest ethnic groups, Census 2021.
White: owned 45.9%
White: English: owned 46.5%
White: Gypsy or Irish Traveller: owned 28.0%
ONS Census 2021 (RM134 - Tenure by ethnic group, Household Reference Persons) via NOMIS. Group labels shortened for display.
Tenure projection
Census 2021 tenure patterns by ethnicity, projected to 2041 from demographic composition change.
Ownership (2021)45.3%
Social rent (2021)17.2%
Private rent (2021)36.7%
Ownership (2041)41.5%
Social rent (2041)17.6%
Social rent change+0.4pp
Data flag The foreign-born share is projected to rise by 20.5pp between 2021 and 2051 (Census 2021 TS004 country of birth, projected by the Hamilton-Perry method), above the 15pp line this site uses to flag housing demand. A threshold on one projected variable, not a housing-need assessment.
School demographics
DfE School Census 2024/25. 246 pupils.
White British pupils88.2%
Minority pupils11.8%
EAL growth (projected)+5.5pp
White British gap (school vs population)5.5pp
Schools are 6pp more diverse than the general population (schools show the future).
Westminster constituencies
Parliamentary constituencies overlapping Isles of Scilly, largest first by the share of each constituency's postcodes that fall in Isles of Scilly.
Asylum and immigration data
Asylum seekers on support, hotel costs, grant rates, and the True Cost of Asylum for this area.
View Isles of Scilly on Asylum Stats →
Local geography The shared local-authority geography record and its source coverage. Place record on UK Places