Latest news with #GregCeely
The Independent
a day ago
- Health
- The Independent
The surprising demographic behind the first lift in birth rate in years
The number of births in England and Wales rose last year - helped by a 'notable' jump in babies born to fathers aged 60 and over. The rise marks the first increase since 2021. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), some 594,677 live births were registered in 2024, up 0.6 per cent from 591,072 in 2023. Births remain at historically low levels, with 2024 ranking as the third lowest total since 1977. However, this small rise indicates the small downwards trend seen in recent years has come to a halt. The latest increase in births is not reflected across all parts of England, with five regions seeing a year-on-year fall, including a drop of 1.4 per cent in the North East. The largest jumps were in West Midlands, up 3.4 per cent, and London, up 1.8 per cent. While England overall saw a rise of 0.7 per cent in live births, Wales experienced a fall of 2.0 per cent. There was a 'notable increase' in live births to fathers aged 60 and over, the ONS said. The number jumped by 14 per cent, from 942 births in 2023 to 1,076 in 2024. By contrast, births to young mothers and fathers fell, continuing a long-term trend that has seen the average age of parents rise steadily for the last 50 years. Babies born to mothers under the age of 20 dropped year on year by 4.6 per cent, with a 2.4 per cent fall for those aged 20 to 24, while those born to fathers under 20 fell by 0.5 per cent and 3.2 per centrespectively. Greg Ceely, ONS head of population health monitoring, said: 'In 2024, the annual number of births in England and Wales reverses the recent trend of declining births, recording the first increase seen since 2021. 'Despite this overall rise, the number of births to mothers under 30 fell, as people continue to put off having children until later in life. 'The largest decrease is seen amongst those under 20 years old, which fell by almost 5 per cent, while the number of mothers aged 35-39 grew the most. 'A couple of other long-term trends are continuing, such as seeing around half of live births within marriage or civil partnership, and an increase in births to non-UK-born mothers.'
The Guardian
a day ago
- General
- The Guardian
Births in England and Wales increase for first time since 2021
An increase in babies born to fathers over 60 helped trigger the first increase in the number of births in England and Wales since 2021. Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed there were 594,677 live births in 2024, up 0.6% from 2023. The birthrate remains historically low, with 2024 the third lowest total since 1977. But the small rise means the downwards trend seen in recent years may have come to a halt. The largest increases in births were found in the West Midlands, up 3.4%, and London, up 1.8%, with five regions seeing a year-on-year fall, including a drop of 1.4% in the north-east. The ONS said there was a 'notable increase' in live births to fathers aged 60 and over, which jumped by 14%, from 942 births in 2023 to 1,076 in 2024. Births to young mothers and fathers fell, continuing a long-term trend of the average age of parents rising steadily over the past 50 years. The largest increase in live births was for women aged 35 to 39 years, which grew by 2.7%, while the largest decrease was seen in those aged under 20, declining by 4.6%. Greg Ceely, the ONS's head of population health monitoring, said: 'The number of births to mothers under 30 fell, as people continue to put off having children until later in life. 'The largest decrease is seen among those under 20 years old, which fell by almost 5%, while the number of mothers aged 35 to 39 grew the most.' On Monday, the education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, called on Britons to consider having more children and having them sooner, describing the 'worrying repercussions' posed by a decline in fertility rates. 'A generation of young people have been thinking twice about starting a family, worried not only about rising mortgage and rent repayments, wary not only of the price of fuel and food, but also put off by a childcare system simultaneously lacking in places and ruinously expensive,' she wrote in the Daily Telegraph. The data also showed that 39.5% of live births in England and Wales last year had either one or both parents born outside the UK, up from 37.3% in 2023 and 32.5% a decade earlier in 2014. The ONS stressed the data did not give a full picture of a family's ethnicity or migration history, or reflect any recent trends in immigration, as not all women born outside the UK would have arrived in the country in the past few years.
The Independent
a day ago
- Health
- The Independent
Over-60s fathers behind first birth rate rise in years
The number of births in England and Wales rose last year - helped by a 'notable' jump in babies born to fathers aged 60 and over. The rise marks the first increase since 2021. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), some 594,677 live births were registered in 2024, up 0.6 per cent from 591,072 in 2023. Births remain at historically low levels, with 2024 ranking as the third lowest total since 1977. However, this small rise indicates the small downwards trend seen in recent years has come to a halt. The latest increase in births is not reflected across all parts of England, with five regions seeing a year-on-year fall, including a drop of 1.4 per cent in the North East. The largest jumps were in West Midlands, up 3.4 per cent, and London, up 1.8 per cent. While England overall saw a rise of 0.7 per cent in live births, Wales experienced a fall of 2.0 per cent. There was a 'notable increase' in live births to fathers aged 60 and over, the ONS said. The number jumped by 14 per cent, from 942 births in 2023 to 1,076 in 2024. By contrast, births to young mothers and fathers fell, continuing a long-term trend that has seen the average age of parents rise steadily for the last 50 years. Babies born to mothers under the age of 20 dropped year on year by 4.6 per cent, with a 2.4 per cent fall for those aged 20 to 24, while those born to fathers under 20 fell by 0.5 per cent and 3.2 per centrespectively. Greg Ceely, ONS head of population health monitoring, said: 'In 2024, the annual number of births in England and Wales reverses the recent trend of declining births, recording the first increase seen since 2021. 'Despite this overall rise, the number of births to mothers under 30 fell, as people continue to put off having children until later in life. 'The largest decrease is seen amongst those under 20 years old, which fell by almost 5 per cent, while the number of mothers aged 35-39 grew the most. 'A couple of other long-term trends are continuing, such as seeing around half of live births within marriage or civil partnership, and an increase in births to non-UK-born mothers.'
Powys County Times
a day ago
- General
- Powys County Times
Rise in births in England and Wales helped by ‘notable' jump in older fathers
The number of births in England and Wales rose last year, the first increase since 2021, helped by a 'notable' jump in babies born to fathers aged 60 and over. Some 594,677 live births occurred in 2024, up 0.6% from 591,072 in 2023, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Births remain at historically low levels, with 2024 ranking as the third lowest total since 1977. But the small rise means the broad downwards trend seen in recent years has, for the time being, come to a halt. The latest increase in births is not reflected across all parts of England, with five regions seeing a year-on-year fall, including a drop of 1.4% in the North East. The largest jumps were in West Midlands, up 3.4%, and London, up 1.8%. While England overall saw a rise of 0.7% in live births, Wales experienced a fall of 2.0%. There was a 'notable increase' in live births to fathers aged 60 and over, the ONS said. The number jumped by 14%, from 942 births in 2023 to 1,076 in 2024. By contrast, births to young mothers and fathers fell, continuing a long-term trend that has seen the average age of parents rise steadily for the last 50 years. Babies born to mothers under the age of 20 dropped year on year by 4.6%, with a 2.4% fall for those aged 20 to 24, while those born to fathers under 20 fell by 0.5% and 3.2% respectively. Greg Ceely, ONS head of population health monitoring, said: 'In 2024, the annual number of births in England and Wales reverses the recent trend of declining births, recording the first increase seen since 2021. 'Despite this overall rise, the number of births to mothers under 30 fell, as people continue to put off having children until later in life. 'The largest decrease is seen amongst those under 20 years old, which fell by almost 5%, while the number of mothers aged 35-39 grew the most. 'A couple of other long-term trends are continuing, such as seeing around half of live births within marriage or civil partnership, and an increase in births to non-UK-born mothers.' The figures come a day after Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson called on Britons to consider having more children and having them sooner, warning of the 'worrying repercussions' posed by a decline in fertility rates. 'A generation of young people have been thinking twice about starting a family, worried not only about rising mortgage and rent repayments, wary not only of the price of fuel and food but also put off by a childcare system simultaneously lacking in places and ruinously expensive,' she told The Daily Telegraph. The ONS did not publish an update of fertility rates alongside the latest birth numbers, as population estimates for 2024 are not yet available. This data will be released later in 2025. In 2024, there were 594,677 live births in England and Wales, an increase of 3,605 (0.6%) compared with 2023 (591,072). This is the first increase since 2021, although it is smaller than the 1.8% increase from 2020 to 2021 ➡️ — Office for National Statistics (ONS) (@ONS) July 1, 2025 Some 39.5% of live births in England and Wales last year had either one or both parents born outside the UK, up from 37.3% in 2023 and 32.5% a decade earlier in 2014. At a regional level, the proportion in 2024 ranged from 22.6% in north-east England to 68.3% in London, with 19.4% for Wales. The local areas with the highest percentage of live births where one or both parents were born outside the UK were all in London, led by the City of London (84.4%), Brent (83.9%), Newham (82.4%) and Harrow (82.2%). The highest area in Wales was Cardiff (40.6%). The area with the lowest proportion was Torridge in Devon (6.3%), followed by Staffordshire Moorlands (8.5%), Caerphilly in Gwent (8.9%) and Rochford in Essex (9.2%). The ONS stressed that data showing parents' country of birth does not give a full picture of a family's ethnicity or migration history, or reflect any recent trends in immigration.
North Wales Chronicle
a day ago
- Health
- North Wales Chronicle
Rise in births in England and Wales helped by ‘notable' jump in older fathers
Some 594,677 live births were registered in 2024, up 0.6% from 591,072 in 2023, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Births remain at historically low levels, with 2024 ranking as the third lowest total since 1977. But the small rise means the broad downwards trend seen in recent years has, for the time being, come to a halt. The latest increase in births is not reflected across all parts of England, with five regions seeing a year-on-year fall, including a drop of 1.4% in the North East. The largest jumps were in West Midlands, up 3.4%, and London, up 1.8%. While England overall saw a rise of 0.7% in live births, Wales experienced a fall of 2.0%. There was a 'notable increase' in live births to fathers aged 60 and over, the ONS said. The number jumped by 14%, from 942 births in 2023 to 1,076 in 2024. By contrast, births to young mothers and fathers fell, continuing a long-term trend that has seen the average age of parents rise steadily for the last 50 years. Babies born to mothers under the age of 20 dropped year on year by 4.6%, with a 2.4% fall for those aged 20 to 24, while those born to fathers under 20 fell by 0.5% and 3.2% respectively. Greg Ceely, ONS head of population health monitoring, said: 'In 2024, the annual number of births in England and Wales reverses the recent trend of declining births, recording the first increase seen since 2021. 'Despite this overall rise, the number of births to mothers under 30 fell, as people continue to put off having children until later in life. 'The largest decrease is seen amongst those under 20 years old, which fell by almost 5%, while the number of mothers aged 35-39 grew the most. 'A couple of other long-term trends are continuing, such as seeing around half of live births within marriage or civil partnership, and an increase in births to non-UK-born mothers.'
