Catholic Union Deputy Director, James Somerville-Meikle, writes:
One story that caught my eye this week was news of Britain’s declining birth rate.
ONS data released on Thursday, showed there were 605,479 live births in England and Wales in 2022. That was down 3.1% from 624,828 in 2021 – and the lowest number since 2002.
The statistics are worrying in many ways. Fewer children means a smaller tax base going into the next generation, making it harder to pay for the public services people expect.
But it is perhaps the causes rather than the symptoms of a lower birth rate that are most problematic, especially for Catholics. Having fewer children is reflective of a culture that promotes the individual above the common good, a society where marriage and family life are not valued, and an economy where the costs of children can be prohibitive.
Not all these problems can be fixed by politicians, but there are certainly things they can do to help. Making the tax and benefit system fairer for families, as called for by the Catholic Union, would be a good place to start.
Other ideas are likely to be discussed at our Craigmyle Lecture this year with Dame Rachel de Souza. The Children’s Commissioner for England will speak about creating a society where children can flourish. Politicians take note!