- The number of births fell 1.6% in England and Wales in 2025 to 585,396, according to the latest ONS data (Births in England and Wales: 2025 – Office for National Statistics)
- Average age of parents rose to 31.1 for mothers and 34.0 for fathers, up from 31.0 and 33.9 in 2024
- Number of births for mothers under the age of 35 fell in 2025, while those among mothers over the age of 35 rose
- There was a 5% rise in births where the father was over 60 to 1,126 – this is up by a fifth since 2023
- How having kids later in life can impact your mortgage and your pension
- Only 53% of births are to married couples or civil partners – what can that mean for your finances and your children’s?
Sarah Coles, head of personal finance at AJ Bell, comments:
“We’re postponing parenting until later in life, and while it’s nobody’s business but yours when or if you have kids, it comes with some significant financial implications. The boom in boomer dads continues as the number of men over 60 having children is up 20% in two years. This can make things even more complicated.
“The number of babies born to parents over the age of 35 is also on its way up as the number to those under the age of 35 is falling. This is part of a long-term trend that owes a great deal to the fact that higher house prices and runaway rents have made it harder for young people to move out or buy a place of their own. It means anyone who wants to get settled in their own home before starting a family often has a longer wait on their hands.
“If the current trends in youth unemployment continue, it could take this generation even longer to be able to afford to move out, pushing parenthood even further into the distance.
“There are also generational changes, as more couples tend to live together before getting married, and given that 53% of them choose to marry or be in a civil partnership before having children, this pushes parenthood back.
“The rise of boomer dads is likely to include a number of men marrying later in life – possibly for the second time – and either starting a family later or having a second family. The fact that the number of boomer mums hasn’t grown to the same degree means that in many cases their newer partner is younger.
The benefits of waiting
“There are some real financial advantages to taking your time before starting a family. You will both be more established in your careers. This may give you more leverage in discussions around flexible working that make managing childcare easier. You’re more likely to own a bigger stake in your home, so your security doesn’t depend on decisions made by your landlord. There’s also a decent chance you have more savings and investments, to cover the expense of the early years of childhood without resorting to expensive debts.
“If you have children close to retirement age, you may be in a position to stop work while your children are young, so you don’t have to juggle work and life.
The challenges of later parenthood
“Some parents will need to move up the property ladder when they have children, so they have enough room for their bigger family. Mortgage lenders may insist that you repay your mortgage by the time you reach state pension age. It means some of those who have children later in life have to repay a bigger mortgage over a shorter period, and wrestle with hefty monthly payments. In some cases, parents won’t be able to cover the cost and will be forced to make more compromises over how and where they live.
“You need to consider how old you will be when they hit pricier times in their life – especially if they choose to study at university. If you’re retired by then you need to consider how they will cover the cost of their studies, and whether it makes sense for them to borrow to cover all of it. It can make an enormous difference if you have saved or invested towards this goal throughout their lives, so it’s a good idea to start a Junior ISA for them as early as possible.
“Don’t forget, you’ll be heading into the empty nest period later in life. You’re squeezed in two ways, because children are staying in the family home later – especially boys. So if you have a child at 40 and they stay with you to the age of 25, your nest will empty at 65. Traditionally this was the period when people’s outgoings fell and they could boost their pension savings to build for retirement. By the age of 65, it doesn’t give you long. If this period doesn’t come until you have already retired, you may miss the window entirely. Alternatively, you could end up having to postpone retirement. The answer will be different for everyone, but you need to ask the question.
“The risk of you getting ill during their childhood will also rise, so you need to make sure you have the right insurances in place, like income protection and critical illness. It’s not nice to think about, but perhaps consider having life insurance in place too and ensuring that your will reflects your whole family. These decisions can feel quite daunting, so it could be worth speaking with a financial adviser – particularly when it comes to estate planning.
Unmarried parents
“In 2025, almost half of all children were born outside of marriage or civil partnerships. This is part of a long-term trend, and reflects the fact some people are marrying much later, while many people choose not to do so at all. The order we hit life’s milestones, and those we choose to miss, is our own business, but if you have children outside of marriage, it’s important to take key steps to protect them and yourself.
“Mothers automatically have parental responsibility for a child, giving them rights to determine anything from where the child lives to where they go to school and any medical treatment. An unmarried father will need to be named on the birth certificate to gain parental responsibility.
“Unmarried parents don’t automatically inherit from one another. The laws of intestacy means the children will inherit, which can cause complications. Their inheritance will often be put into a trust, so the surviving parent must ask permission from the trust administrator to access funds to help them bring the children up. In some cases, they will need to bring a legal claim against the estate, which can be expensive and distressing. It’s why it’s so vital for unmarried parents to make a will.
“If you split up and one of you owns the home, the other has no right to stay in it or gain any share. Similarly, if one of you has given up work for a period to care for the children and sacrificed pension contributions, they have no right to their partner’s pension. It’s important to consider how you own assets as a couple. If there’s an uneven split, consider a cohabitation agreement, which will clarify how assets should be divided if you separate.”
