Births in England and Wales increase for first time since 2021 - thanks to 'notable' rise in older fathers
The number of births in England and Wales rose last year - the first increase since 2021.
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This was said to have been helped by a "notable" surge in babies born to fathers aged 60 and above.
Roughly 594,677 live births happened in 2024, up 0.6% from 591,072 in 2023, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Births are still at historically low levels; 2024 has been ranked as the third lowest total since 1977 - however, the small ruse indicates the broader downwards trend seen in recent years has come to a halt.
The rise cannot be seen across all parts of England, however.
Five regions have seen a year-on-year fall, including a drop of 1.4% in the North East.
The largest jumps were in West Midlands, up 3.4%, and London, up 1.8%.
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The ONS also said there was a “notable increase” in live births to fathers aged 60 and over.
The number rose by 14.2%, from 942 births in 2023 to 1,076 in 2024.
On the other hand, births to young mothers and fathers fell, sustaining a long-term trend that has seen the average age of parents increase steadily for the past 50 years.
Greg Ceely, ONS head of population health monitoring, said: "In 2024, the annual number of births in England and Wales reverses the recent trend of declining births, recording the first increase seen since 2021.
"Despite this overall rise, the number of births to mothers under 30 fell, as people continue to put off having children until later in life.
"The largest decrease is seen amongst those under 20 years old, which fell by almost 5%, while the number of mothers aged 35-39 grew the most."
The figures come a day after Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson called on Britons to think about having more children and having them sooner, warning of the "worrying repercussions" posed by a decline in fertility rates.
The ONS did not publish an update of fertility rates alongside the latest birth numbers, as population estimates for 2024 are not yet available. This data will be released later in 2025.