Last year’s total fertility rate of 1.41 was lowest since comparable data was first collected in 1938, ONS says
The fertility rate for England and Wales has fallen for the third year in a row to reach a record low, figures show.
The total fertility rate across both nations, meaning the average number of live children women can expect to have across their child-bearing life, stood at 1.41 in 2024, down from 1.42 in 2023, the lowest since comparable data was first collected in 1938, according to the Office for National Statistics.
This is despite a 0.6% increase in live births last year, with a 14% increase in the number of babies born to fathers over 60, according to figures published last month.
For a country’s population to remain stable over time – discounting any impact from migration – the total fertility rate needs to be about 2.1.
