Why birth rates in England and Wales have reached their lowest point since 1977
In short: The total fertility rate in England and Wales has dipped to 1.39 children per woman, marking a steady decline. As the number of live births hits a historic low, the average age of parents continues to climb, revealing a significant shift in the demographic landscape of the region.
In 2025, England and Wales recorded 585,396 live births, a 1.6% decrease from the previous year and the lowest figure since 1977. This downward trend is reflected in the total fertility rate (TFR), which fell to 1.39 children per woman. While England saw a 1.5% drop in births, Wales experienced a sharper decline of 2.0%. Every region in England reported fewer births, with the West Midlands seeing the most significant reduction at 3.1%.
The data highlights a clear trend toward later parenthood. The standardised mean age for mothers reached 31.1 years in 2025, while for fathers, it rose to 34.0 years. This increase in parental age has been consistent since 1976. Fertility rates are notably uneven across local authorities; for instance, the City of London recorded the lowest TFR at 0.37, while areas like Luton and Pendle reached 1.93. University cities and inner London districts generally exhibit lower fertility rates.
Clinical outcomes also correlate with maternal age. While 91.0% of all live births occurred between 37 and 41 weeks of gestation, births to older mothers were more likely to be pre-term. Among mothers aged 45 to 49, 16.4% of births occurred between 32 and 36 weeks, and 3.4% occurred even earlier. For those aged 50 and over, these figures rose to 30.5% and 5.0% respectively. Despite these shifts, the overall stillbirth rate remained stable at 3.9 per 1,000 births.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Births in England and Wales - Office for National Statistics
- Also: Birth rate
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