Fertility rates in Great Britain have fallen to record lows, continuing a long-term decline seen since 2010. In England and Wales, the average dropped to 1.41 babies per woman in 2024, while Scotland recorded an even lower 1.25. Demographers say a replacement rate of 2.1 is needed to sustain population levels. Despite this, the number of births rose in 2024 due to immigration-driven population growth, with more women of childbearing age now living in the UK. Births to mothers from southern Asia and Africa have risen sharply, while births to EU-born mothers have declined since Brexit. Luton now records the highest fertility rate, with seven in ten babies born to foreign-born mothers. Fertility has fallen in all local authorities since 2014, though Birmingham has seen a recent rise. Experts warn that fewer babies combined with an ageing population will increase economic pressure, as fewer workers will be available to support rising healthcare and pension demands in the future.