Abortions at record high in England and Wales ‘driven by cost of living’

[IwantToRetire]

Figures are from 2023, not sure why there is this time lag
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/15/abortions-record-high-england-wales-cost-of-living-contraception

Comment from BPAS https://www.bpas.org/about-bpas/press-office/press-releases/abortion-statistics-england-and-wales-2023/

And from Abortion Rights https://abortionrights.org.uk/press-releaseabortion-rates-reflect-access-autonomy-and-economic-reality/

Alliance for Choice reflects on number of women from NI having to travel to England https://www.womensgrid.org.uk/?p=28639

And it seems also from Scotland (?) More women cross­ing Bor­der for abor­tion https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-herald-1130/20260116/281565182156330

There are lots of reasons listed, though, so the Graun’s headline is somewhat misleading:

There are multiple reasons why abortion figures may rise, including:

• Improved access to services, including early medical abortion and telemedicine.

• Economic pressures such as rising living costs, insecure work and unaffordable housing.

• Persistent barriers to contraception, including uneven provision and long waits.

• People delaying parenthood due to financial or social instability, including the rising cost of childcare

• Greater awareness of reproductive healthcare options.

• More accurate reporting and data collection.

And they use the word ‘may’ which suggests they don’t really know. I doubt they ask?

Agree - it shows the difference between a so called reporter looking at a Government press release, and a service provider or campaign group having a different understanding of the change in figures.

If access to an early abortion is one of the factors, that is surely good.

But also if the increase is as much to do with women from other parts of the UK having to access services in England then that puts a very different slant on the figures.

Does the report also touch on younger women being less keen on taking the pill? Talking to my younger stepsister about contraception ~10 years ago I was surprised to hear she and many of her friends weren’t keen on hormonal contraception, almost none of her circle were using it or much other contraception. She shrugged and said they used MAP and several had had abortions. It blew my mind given how careful my generation were at her age. Unsurprisingly she’d had more than one unplanned pregnancy. The last one is now in high school. 😄

I think you could find that yourself.

The "report" is Government statistics (a year behind).

The other links are commentary from groups who are supporting women's abortion rights in different ways and have their own reactions to the stats.