Britain's population figures are flawed, the government's own statisticians have admitted, writes Simon Briscoe. The Office for National Statistics has written to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, which sets local authority grants, outlining the "limitations" and possible underestimation of the population data of high immigration areas.

The admission follows complaints from Slough borough council over poor estimates of internal and international migration. Slough has asked ODPM for extra funding.