London contemplates ‘childless’ future as families leave British capital

Unaffordable housing and childcare costs are driving young families away. Read more at straitstimes.com.

LONDON – London’s child population is collapsing faster than anywhere in Britain as unaffordable housing and childcare costs drive young families away, a report by the London Assembly found.

In the decade through 2023, the number of residents under 10 years of age fell by 99,100 as families moved out and fertility rates crashed – even while the capital’s overall population increased by 506,000.

Falling pupil numbers have prompted 100 of London’s 2,500 schools to close since 2018; mostly in inner London.

If trends persist, the capital could become “a childless city,” the report warned.

“The number of children living in the capital has fallen faster than anywhere else in the UK since the early 2010s,” said London Assembly’s Economy, Culture and Skills Committee chair Hina Bokhari.

“With the highest housing and childcare costs in the country, raising a family in London is simply out of reach for many.”