- Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson urged Britons to consider having more children and at an earlier age, warning of "worrying repercussions" from declining birth rates.
- Phillipson attributed the drop in fertility to the high cost of living and an expensive, inadequate childcare system, which she believes deters young people from starting families.
- Official data shows fertility rates in England and Wales dropped to a record low of 1.44 children per woman in 2023, the lowest since 1938, with the overall UK rate falling by 26.9 per cent over the last 15 years.
- The decline is linked to a combination of economic factors, such as rising housing and childcare costs, and changing social norms, including women waiting longer to have children to pursue careers.
- Phillipson's comments, supported by the government's expansion of funded childcare, mark a shift in political rhetoric, with other figures like Wes Streeting also expressing concern over the long-term demographic challenges posed by falling birth rates.
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