What does the falling birthrate mean for the British economy? | Business and Economy News

Last week, UK government figures showed that the birthrate in England and Wales tumbled to a record low.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the fertility rate (the number of children born to each woman) fell to 1.41 children per woman in 2024. That is the third year running that it has dropped and is the lowest since records began 90 years ago.

It is widely accepted that a birthrate of 2.1 is required to sustain a population at its current level.

This means the population of the…