Dawn Limbu
BBC News, Bristol
BBC
Financial pressures have been blamed by some for Bristol’s falling birth rate
As the cost of living rises, more people are questioning whether they can afford to have children. Bristol’s birth rate is falling more rapidly than that of any other city in England and Wales – reflecting a national trend which has seen the fertility rate drop by 21% over the past decade.
In Bristol, the birth rate has fallen by 36% in the last 10 years. The Office for National Statistics said this trend may be influenced by financial pressures.
Courtney Young, 32, from the city, told the BBC he believes the current economic climate is making it much harder for people his age to raise a family.
Courtney Young says the current economic climate is making it harder for people to start families
“It’s always been a goal of mine to have kids in the future,” he said.
“Taking them on holidays, day trips, and just giving them every chance to succeed.
“But one of our biggest concerns is finances – whether we’ll have the time and resources to raise kids the way we want to.”
Despite Bristol’s economy doubling in size since 2004, the number of babies born has dropped by a third in the past decade.
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the UK’s total fertility rate – measuring the average number of children per woman – currently sits at 1.44.
In Bristol, that number is even lower at 1.14 – a 36% decline in 10 years.
Mum-of-two Aaliyah Thomas says trying to raise kids can be financially challenging
Aaliyah Thomas, 30, has two children and said she can sympathise with Mr Young.
“It’s quite difficult having a newborn and an older child,” she said. “Trying to balance everything financially is really challenging.”
She added that she has noticed that more people she knows are delaying parenthood.
“The cost of living is so high, a lot of people just need to be in a better financial position before they can even think about having kids.”
Kate, a mother of several adult children, said the cost of moving out is a major barrier for them.
“They can’t move out with their partners, they can’t be self-sufficient and live by themselves,” she said.
“Rents are too high, and even buying a home is difficult. First you have to save for a deposit, and if you’re renting, you often can’t afford to save at all.”
BBC/ONS
The birth rate in Bristol has decreased by 36% in the last decade
Kerry Gadson, head of population analysis at ONS, said: “The reasons behind when and if women have children are very personal.
“In the 1960s, we had the introduction of contraception, more women entered the workforce and attended university and this is when we saw a real change.
“It [starting a family] may be driven by a range of factors including financial pressures and the timing of other life events, such as partnership formation and moving into your own home, which is generally happening later at the moment.”
Ms Gadson explained that women are having babies later, with the average age of new mothers being 31, but it doesn’t mean that they are having fewer children.
“At the moment, birth rates are declining, but it doesn’t mean that it will continue to fall.
“What’s really interesting about Bristol is the average age of the people who live there is much younger than the average of the UK and that’s by almost 10 years.
“So you’re looking at a median age of 33 versus 41 for the average in the rest of the UK.”
‘When I was younger, I didn’t realise it was an option not to have children,’ says Amy
For others, choosing not to have children is a decision they’ve embraced fully.
Amy Joce, who is child free by choice, said: “When I was younger, I didn’t realise it was even an option to not have children.
“But as I got older, I realised you didn’t have to. Most people I know who do have kids say ‘good for you,’ because I get to do more things and have more freedom with my time.”
She said she has never experienced any negative judgements for her decision.
“Bristol’s a very liberal city, and I think we’re more accepting of different lifestyles,” she added.
Charlotte Steeples
Maxine Trump’s film ‘To Kid or Not to Kid’ documents her decision to remain childfree
Filmmaker Maxine Trump, whose film ‘To Kid or Not to Kid’ documents her her decision not to have children, is part of a growing group of people openly discussing the choice to remain child free.
Her documentary, which took her eight years to make, explores the pressures and prejudices faced by women who do not want to be mothers.
“At the time when I was making the decision not to have children, I couldn’t verbalise it, because there wasn’t a lot of people around me that had made that decision.”
Having grown up with many nieces and nephews, Mrs Trump explained that she loves children, but felt having her own was not the right choice.
“I found this wonderful career that enabled me to go out filming and my life wouldn’t have been easy to take on the responsibilities of having kids.”
Mrs Trump said she has a lot of empathy for younger people who want to have children.
She also feels the government could offer better incentives for people to have children by introducing more schemes for childcare.
“Younger people at the childbearing age are making really considered decisions.
“The house prices are really going through the roof in Bristol, and it’s really hard for people to decide whether or not to have kids.”