London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Oct 21, 2025

Could the UK be headed for a post-pandemic baby boom?

Could the UK be headed for a post-pandemic baby boom?

Normally, social and financial instability can send birth numbers plummeting. But the UK could in fact be heading for another baby boom – even after a year of lockdowns. This could help spur on Britain’s recovery from the pandemic and drive a fresh period of economic prosperity.
In May last year there was a dip in antenatal bookings, the appointments women have between eight to 12 weeks into a pregnancy. But in the fourth quarter of last year, the number of appointments jumped to the highest since records began in 2015 – up 6.8% compared with September 2019, according to new NHS maternity statistics.

While the lockdown has undoubtedly been difficult for many, it has also given couples time to stop and reflect about their future plans, as well as highlighting the importance of the family unit when cut off from our usual networks. There is also a more basic point: without the commute or other distractions, couples have had more time to have more sex.

Before the pandemic, global fertility rates have been falling below what is known as the replacement level – the number of children born for a population to exactly replace itself without migration. Without this, there is an ageing population and over-stretched resources. In the UK we have been below this level for some time and there have been dire warnings of a “population crash” with severe economic consequences. At a time when the global economy is under even more pressure, a new baby boom could safeguard our future generations from an even greater social and economic crisis.

As we come out of lockdown, there must be a renewed effort to bring back Britain’s fertility rates. This is a delicate balance and does not mean rolling back education and access to contraception and fertility choices. Nor is it simply about telling couples to have more sex. We must look at how we harness the factors driving this recent boom and introduce long-term, permanent changes to how we live and work that will drive a continued baby boom.

Many women are afraid to take time out of their work to have a baby and feel they must make a choice between continuing to pursue their career and motherhood. The shift towards remote working has made some feel more comfortable with the prospect of juggling the two. We must have policies that effectively protect parents in the workplace. This should enable both parents to be able to have flexibility in the work. Family friendly policies including childcare and parental leave must be driven by both government and industry.

Another problem we must confront is fertility. There needs to be a clear and open programme empowering women and men to protect their fertility if they decide to have children later in their lives. One in six couples face fertility problems. Single women and same-sex couples need fertility treatment to conceive. To support these women and couples we must provide better access to and funding for fertility treatments. Public funding for IVF treatment is declining and unavailable in some areas, meaning only those able to privately fund treatment have access.

Of course a child brings so much into the world and every birth creates endless possibilities. But it is also an economic problem to tackle: the value of a child born in the UK is estimated to be £700,000 over their lifetime through tax and pension contributions. That figure that dwarfs the cost of funding IVF (around £20,000). By fundamentally rethinking how we approach, budget for and fund fertility treatment, we are not only ensuring everyone who wants to has the opportunity to become a parent, but also supporting the future economic success of the UK.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
Dutch Government Seizes Chipmaker After U.S. Presses for Removal of Chinese CEO
Bessent Accuses China of Dragging Down Global Economy Amid New Trade Curbs
U.S. Revokes Visas of Foreign Nationals Who ‘Celebrated’ Charlie Kirk’s Assassination
AI and Cybersecurity at Forefront as GITEX Global 2025 Kicks Off in Dubai
DJI Loses Appeal to Remove Pentagon’s ‘Chinese Military Company’ Label
EU Deploys New Biometric Entry/Exit System: What Non-EU Travelers Must Know
Australian Prime Minister’s Private Number Exposed Through AI Contact Scraper
×