New data highlights places with lowest fertility rates in the UK

• Parts of London and major university cities accounted for the lowest local fertility rates across England and Wales in 2025, with the City of London recording the lowest at 0.37 children per woman.
• The overall fertility rate for England and Wales dropped to a record low of 1.39 in 2025, falling well below the 2.1 threshold needed for population stability without migration.
• Total live births fell to 585,396 last year, down from 594,677 in 2024, marking the lowest annual total recorded since 1977.
• The average age of parents continued to rise, with mothers reaching a mean age of 31.1 and fathers averaging 34.0 years old.
• The proportion of births to mothers born outside the UK reached 34.6 per cent, with India remaining the most common non-UK country of birth for the fourth consecutive year.

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