THE fertility rate in St Helens fell last year, new figures show – as the birth rate in England and Wales hit a new record low.

Some experts have suggested economic uncertainty with the cost-of-living crisis, difficulties finding a partner, and more people deciding not to have children may be factors in the falling birth rate.

Office for National Statistics figures show there was an average of 1.51 live births per woman in St Helens in 2023 – down from 1.6 the year before.

The rate for England and Wales fell to the lowest level since records began in 1938, at 1.44.

The fertility rate is defined as the average number of live children a group of women would have if they experienced the age-specific fertility rates throughout their childbearing life.

Professor Melinda Mills, professor of demography and population health at the University of Oxford, said: "People are actively postponing or forgoing children due to issues related to difficulties in finding a partner, housing, economic uncertainty, remaining longer in education and particularly women entering and staying in the labour force."

She added: "Some individuals also actively make the choice to remain childfree.

"However, there is evidence that postponing having children to later ages when the partners are less able to conceive results in increases in involuntarily childlessness as well."

The biggest drops in the overall total fertility rate were in Wales (1.46 to 1.39) and the North West (1.53 to 1.46).

London, the North East and the West Midlands saw the smallest decreases.

Dr Bassel Al Wattar, associate professor of reproductive medicine at Anglia Ruskin University, described the downward trend in birth rate as "worrying yet persistent".

He said it might be explained by the cost-of-living crisis, as well as a reduction in available NHS funding for fertility treatments such as IVF.

The ONS said the fertility rate has declined most sharply for women aged between 20 and 24 and 25 and 29.

Meanwhile, the total number of live births in England and Wales also fell, with 591,072 registered last year. It is the lowest figure since 1977.

There were 1,766 in St Helens in 2023 – down from 1,858 the year before.