Birth rates have collapsed to a new record low in England and Wales for the third year in a row, according to Government data.
The new figures show that in 2024, the total fertility rate was 1.41 children per woman for England and Wales, compared to 1.42 in 2023.
These figures, which break the record as the lowest for the third time in three years, could mean that the native population would rapidly decline.
Only the birth rates in London and the West Midlands rose.
Birth rates have collapsed to a new record low in England and Wales for the third year in a row
|GETTY
London's total fertility rate increased from 1.33 in 2023 to 1.35 in 2024.
While the West Midlands increased from 1.56 in 2023 to 1.59 in 2024
They are the first regional increases since 2021.
The total fertility rate for England and Wales has been in decline since 2012, with this year becoming the record low.
Births in England and Wales from the Office for National Statistics
|Births in England and Wales from the Office for National Statistics
Despite the lower percentage of the population having children, the number of births has increased slightly due to population growth, mainly driven by migration.
The population of England and Wales has grown by over 700,000 in the year to June 2024, ONS data shows.
The data reveal that immigration has been responsible for 98 per cent of the massive increase, with two per cent, or just 29,982, attributed to the difference in birth/death rates.