It’s impossibly expensive to have kids these days - address the generally extortionate cost of living as well as the ludicrous childcare fees, and that would go a long way to solving it.

I’m recently married and in my early 30s and despite being at the upper end of earning percentiles, kids still feels an incredibly hard thing to afford and we have agreed to wait at least a couple of years. In your 20s it’s pretty much impossible without family support.

Firstly, the BBC don’t concentrate on Britain in the article because it isn’t about Britain. It’s about the bigger picture of worldwide trends and predictions in the most impacted countries. The idea that some places will see their populations halve by the end of the century will provoke a lot of debate.

It’s a very interesting and useful analysis. It’s a pity your reaction is not. Yours is to repeat the same old mantra of “Europeans”, aka “white people”, being made extinct.

There are some intriguing thoughts there. The idea that once every country’s population is declining that there will be competition for migrants would at least stop the small boat crisis! We will be sending aircraft to Ruanda to get people rather than removing them.

With the probability of many more people in most countries having their racial roots in Africa the need to combat racism is highlighted.

One thing above all others stands out. With the average age of the population going to increase dramatically, and the number of younger working age people outnumbered by the elderly, the concept of retirement is going to need revision.

It seems to me that anticipating a period of non work at the end of your life, such as I am now enjoying, will become redundant. All those who can work will have to work until they no longer can. Society won’t function without them. Part time working, accepting the need to care for others and providing support services will become the duty of all, and not just those forced to do so by a lack of resources as now.

Yep, when we do go for it my mrs will have to drop out of work altogether for a while - unless you both earn north of £50k, I don’t see how you can justify the full-time childcare costs. It’s cheaper to lose a salary and do it yourself, which is just insanity.

Something needs to give.

It’s impossibly expensive to have kids these days - address the generally extortionate cost of living as well as the ludicrous childcare fees, and that would go a long way to solving it.

I’m recently married and in my early 30s and despite being at the upper end of earning percentiles, kids still feels an incredibly hard thing to afford and we have agreed to wait at least a couple of years. In your 20s it’s pretty much impossible without family support.

As parents, we expect to give our children more these days.

I don't think there is ever a time when most people think they can afford them. We manage nonetheless.

I have two grown up children. I would ideally have had more. My daughter has three.
I'm not suggesting that we should return to Victorian levels of family size, but just opting to have three instead of one or two would push things in the right direction. Far too many people decide to remain childless these days. They are too busy indulging themselves or leave it too late and have fertility problems.
If people are going to have a substantial family, then they need to start earlier if they are in a stable relationship.

The alternative is to accept a smaller population where we pay more in order to pay for pensions, which we will all need at some point.
The current solution is doomed to fail and is causing huge social problems.