Health journalist
Getty imagesBabies born of fathers over 60 increased by 14.2% in 2024 compared to the previous year, according to official figures.
Out of 594,677 living births in England and Wales last year, 1,076 babies were over 60 years old, according to the National Statistics Office (ONS).
Total births in England in 2024 have increased slightly for the first time since 2021.
Births where one or both parents were born outside the United Kingdom also increased in England and Wales.
The ONS said that the increase in the number of babies born of older dads was “notable”.
A number of celebrities welcomed children later in life. Rod Stewart was 65 years old when his youngest was born. Robert de Niro was 79 years old when his sixth child was born and in October of last year, Al Pacino told the BBC that it was “fun” to be a new father in the 80s.
Professor Allan Pacey, an expert in male fertility, said that research shows that men over 40 are “about half as fertile” as men aged 25, which makes the climb even more interesting.
The number of babies born of parents under the age of 30 last year, depending on the model of people waiting longer to start a family.
Turning the global trend for the decline in birth rate, the ons have reported a slight increase in the number of births in England.
In 2024, there were 567,708 living births in England, an increase of 0.7% compared to the previous year.
However, in Wales, there were 26,832 living births – a decrease of 2% compared to 2023.
Greg Cely, head of population health surveillance at the National Statistics Office, said the overall number of births in England and Wales “reverse the recent trend” of birth.
“Despite this overall increase, the number of births for mothers under the age of 30 has fallen because people continue to push children to life later in life.
“The largest decline is observed among those under 20, which has dropped by almost 5%,” he added.
The rapid increase in life costs is often cited as an obstacle to children.
The government has also launched a parental leave exam after recognizing that a dad in three does not take paternity leave because they cannot afford it.
Angela McConville, director general of Childbirth Charity NCT, said: “If the government is serious about supporting people to have babies, they must create the right conditions for families to prosper.
“This means access to a safe and personalized maternity and postnatal care for everyone, as well as to daycare and affordable action on the cost of living.”
Last month, the Secretary of Health, Wes Streting, announced a national survey of maternity care in England after a series of faults.
ONS figures also show an increase in the number of births to parents born outside the United Kingdom in 2024.
The percentage of living births where one or both parents was born outside the United Kingdom was 40.4% in England (compared to 38.2% in 2023) and 19.4% in Wales (against 17.5% in 2023).
India remains the most frequent country of birth for mothers and fathers not born in the United Kingdom for the third consecutive year.
Regarding the moment of the births of babies, the day after boxing (December 26) was the least likely birthday for babies born last year – for the twelfth consecutive year.
The most common day for the birth of babies was February 23.
The most popular day for arrivals was on Tuesday, with Saturdays and Sundays the least likely day for the birth of a baby.
