World · 27 May 2026

England and Wales births hit 50-year low

Fewer babies being born could add pressure to future welfare and social care services in England and Wales. Office for National Statistics figures published on Wednesday showed 585,396 babies were born in 2025, the smallest total recorded in almost half a century. Women were aged 29.6 on average when having their first child, according to the data.

By BriefTea Editorial · 27 May 2026 at 21:02

Reported by BBC · How we write briefs

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