Fertility rate for England falls to a new record low

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England and Wales have registered an unprecedented low in their fertility rate, new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveals. The figures also indicate that the number of babies born across both nations last year plummeted to its lowest level in almost half a century.

The provisional total fertility rate, which measures the average number of live children women are expected to have during their childbearing years, was estimated at 1.39 for 2025. This marks a further decline from the 1.41 children per woman recorded in 2024. For a nation's population to maintain stability over time – excluding any impact from migration – a total fertility rate of approximately 2.1 is typically required.

The latest provisional figures are based on the 2025 projected population, and final rates are expected to be released later this year.

The data, published on Wednesday, showed there were 585,396 live births in England and Wales last year.

This was a fall from 594,677 in 2024 and is the the lowest number since 1977 when there were 569,259 live births.

Greg Ceely, head of population health monitoring at the ONS, said: “In 2025 the number of babies born fell to the lowest level in almost half a century and continues the long-term trend of falling births going back over the past decade.

“More than a third of births are to mothers born outside the UK which again continues recent trends.”

Last year, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson suggested people had been put off having children because of financial constraints including rising mortgage and rent repayments, fuel and food prices, as well as childcare costs.

The average age of parents increased slightly year-on-year, the data showed.

Mothers had a provisional standardised mean age of 31.1 in 2025, up from 31.0 in 2024.

Fathers had an average age of 34.0 last year, a rise from 33.9.

Parents have been getting older since 1975, when mothers were on average aged 26.4 and fathers were 29.5 years old.

The statistics also showed that for four in 10 live births, at least one parent was born outside the UK.

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The number of live births where either one or both parents were born outside the UK rose by 0.7%, from 39.5% in 2024 to 40.2% in 2025.

The ONS said Boxing Day – December 26 – remained the least frequent birth date since 2013.

It added that the most frequent birth date has been variable but last year May 28 ranked the most frequent for the first time since 1999.