General · 22 July 2026
Islington has England's one of the lowest fertility rates at 0.99 births per woman
Islington, a north London borough, sees young women leave, high rents, and unaffordable housing making family life difficult. In 2025, Islington experienced 1,062 fewer women aged 30-34 living there, and parents in the area encounter average childcare expenses of £9.39 per hour for two-year-olds. Bassam Mahfouz from the London Assembly warns this trend, seen across London, is an “existential challenge” for the city's future workforce.
Reported by BBC · How we write briefs