England and Wales fertility rate hits record low

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.