Hi all,
I've been mulling over some unsettling trends in the UK and wanted to hear your thoughts—particularly those of us noticing fewer kids around and schools closing.
First, I’m not blaming migrants—they’re filling gaps we’ve created. But it hit me: if people who’ve lived here for generations aren’t having children, who is keeping our society going? It’s like watching your family line slowly fade.
Here’s the gist:
- Fewer families are having children, or delaying them until their 30s or beyond.
- Abortions are up—almost 30% of pregnancies end in abortion now.
- Primary schools are shutting or merging due to low pupil numbers.
- Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of migrants are arriving each year, and tens of thousands of British-born people are leaving.
It got me thinking: if we plant seeds everywhere but only the ones in the right environment grow, shouldn’t we rethink that environment—rather than blaming the plants?
🚨 Shocking stats at a glance:
-
29.7% of all conceptions in England & Wales ended in legal abortion in 2022—nearly 3 in 10 pregnancies—and up from 20.8% in 2012 (Sky News, The Guardian, Office for National Statistics).
- That’s 247,703 conceptions aborted in 2022—a 13% increase from 2021 (Office for National Statistics).
- Migrant inflows: ~1.2 million long-term arrivals in year to June 2024; 728,000 net migration (arrivals minus departures) (Full Fact).
- Emigration: 479,000 people left in that same period—including a sizeable number of British nationals (Full Fact).
I’m not here to stir division. I want people—especially those quick to blame migrants—to look in the mirror: if our birth environment is failing us, aren't
we partly responsible?
Let’s talk solutions:
Affordable housing, gig‑free childcare, pay transparency, flexible working, serious sex-ed and contraception access… what would help
you feel like having kids here and now?
Curious to hear your views—especially if this hits home for you.
Sources:
ONS conception stats (2022) & abortion trends: [ONS Conception Bulletin]
ONS net migration & emigration data: [ONS Immigration Statistics]