England and Wales Births Fall to 585,396, Lowest Since 1977
Updated
Updated · Bloomberg · May 27
England and Wales Births Fall to 585,396, Lowest Since 1977
3 articles · Updated · Bloomberg · May 27
585,396 live births were recorded in England and Wales in 2025, down 1.6% from a year earlier and the lowest annual total since 1977, Office for National Statistics data showed.
That decline left births exceeding deaths by just 14,408, sharply narrowing the natural increase in the population.
In 2024, births outnumbered deaths by 26,064, showing how quickly the gap has compressed in a year.
The figures push England and Wales closer to a demographic tipping point where the non-immigrant population begins to shrink.
Is a shrinking UK population an economic crisis or a chance to build a more sustainable society?
With fewer workers, can technology and automation prevent the economic decline of an aging Britain?
As birth rates fall, will tax credits or state-funded childcare prove more effective for families?
England and Wales Faces Historic Fertility Decline: Demographic Shifts and Policy Dilemmas
Overview
England and Wales are seeing a significant decline in fertility and birth rates, reflecting a global trend that has continued since the 1960s. This drop is most pronounced among people under 30, especially those aged 25 to 29, while fertility rates have actually increased for mothers aged 30 to 39 and for older fathers. These changes show that people are having children later in life, even as overall fertility continues to fall. The pattern in England and Wales is part of a wider shift happening around the world, highlighting major changes in when and how families are formed.