Fertility rates have also been falling, leading to economic concerns

Statistics released by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) on November 8 show that the percentage of children born in the UK to one or more foreign-born parent has increased from 30.3% of births in 2022 to 31.8% in 2023.

The news comes two weeks after the ONS released data on October 28 showing that the fertility rate in England and Wales has fallen to 1.44 children per adult, the lowest on record. This measure has fallen from 1.92 children per parent in 2007.

The proportion of births in England and Wales born to parents from other countries had big regional differences. In London 67.4% of births were to parents where one or both were born outside the UK, while only 17.5% of births in Wales were to one or more parent from overseas.

In 2007, the percentage of all births where the mother was born outside the UK was 16.5%, while in London the proportion was 43.3%.

The news about the demographic changes was mostly covered dispassionately by most news organisations, with the Daily Mail’s Greg Heffer adding that ”Last year’s figures will have included the third child of Carrie Johnson and Boris Johnson.”

The BBC reported that “Only 591,072 babies were born in 2023, fewer than in any year since 1977 and a fall of more than 14,000 on the previous year”, adding that cost of living pressures were responsible for stopping many Millennials from starting families.

The Evening Standard reported on changes to the most common countries of origin for mothers born outside the UK, with Germany dropping off the top 10 list and being replaced by Ghana. The Economist noted how the decline of births in London is causing some councils to close schools, but said that the birthrate is likely to recover. 

On the other hand, the Spectator said the crashing birth rate was a ‘crisis’, and that if net migration was eliminated, “we would be on the verge of a falling population.” Reform UK, a far right party led by Nigel Farage, proposed a ‘freeze’ on immigration in the run up to the 2024 General Election.

Population Matters, a group which support lower birth rates to reduce human impact on the climate, responded to a previous Spectator report about the population ‘crisis’ in July, saying:

“Population growth has been cited as one of the biggest drivers of carbon emissions, and as our rising numbers drive demand for more food, more housing, and more land, we destroy and pollute the natural world, driving other species to the brink of extinction.” 

Dominic Nutt, Head of Campaigns and Communications at Population Matters, told The Raven: “If you go down the pro-natalist line you’re going down the Elon Musk line, and some would say he’s not the most rational character on earth.” 

“There is an economic argument for having more children with an ageing population in the Global North – you need to boost pension pots. But the argument runs into the buffers pretty quickly that you will forever need an increasing population,” Nutt said.

“If you want to deal with the economic issues pro-natalists refer to around pensions and work, you would welcome immigration. Pro-natalism and nationalism tend to be very toxic bedfellows,” Nutt added.

Conservative MP Neil O’Brien said that the UK needs a ‘New Deal for Parents’, including access to fertility assistance, enabling working parents to keep more of their money, affordable housing, parental leave and cheaper childcare. 

O’Brien said that: “Obviously, policy on such a personal area must never be about telling or pressing people to do something they don’t want. But there are large numbers of people who would like children (or more children) but feel they are held back by different factors… on Saturday, I was chatting to a constituent who would like another (and who is great dad) but feels he can’t afford it.”

Statistical releases such as this feed into numerous ongoing political debates about the impact of migration on the UK’s economy and society. Given this fact, it’s notable that there have not been more opinion pieces about the recent statistics in the press, but the concentration of major news sources on the US election means that the ONS statistics have largely passed under the media’s radar.