Albania moves into top 10 most common countries of birth for mothers and fathers born outside the UK – but data shows proportion of births to foreign-born women fell last year
- Albania in top 10 most common countries of birth for parents born outside UK
- It is first time country has been in top 10 for both non-UK mothers and fathers
- Overall there was a fall in proportion of births to women born outside the UK
Albania has moved into the top 10 most common countries of birth for both mothers and fathers born outside the UK, new figures have shown.
In annual birth statistics for England and Wales last year, it was shown Albania is now the tenth most common country of birth for mothers born outside the UK.
The non-EU country is also now the eighth most common country of birth for fathers born outside the UK.
It is the first time Albania has been in the top 10 most common countries for both non-UK mothers and fathers.
According to fresh data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), Romania is now the most common country of birth for mothers born outside the UK.
Births to mothers from Poland saw the largest decrease in 2021, with an 8.6 per cent decrease.
For fathers born outside the UK, Pakistan remains the most common country of birth.
In annual birth statistics for England and Wales last year, it was shown Albania is now the tenth most common country of birth for mothers born outside the UK
For fathers born outside the UK, Pakistan remains the most common country of birth
The total fertility rates for UK-born women increased to 1.54 children per woman in 2021 across England and Wales, which was up from 1.49 children per woman in 2020
Fascinating timelapse maps show how the birthrate in England and Wales has plummeted over the last decade, despite a small rise last year caused by an uptick in older mothers.
Based on the latest Office for National Statistics data, they reveal how the fertility rate was 1.61 children per woman in 2021, slightly higher than the 1.58 in 2020.
The slight increase in births last year was driven mainly by a jump in women in their early 30s having children, who had a rate of 1.07, up from 1.03 the year before.
The sharpest increase was seen in women aged 35 to 39 (5 per cent). For comparison, women aged 20 and under saw a fall of 16 per cent.
Experts believe the increase in older women giving birth is because they are leaving it until later in life to have children to pursue careers, as well as advances in IVF and other fertility treatments.
Despite projections of a baby boom during the first year of the pandemic as couples were forced to spend more time together indoors, the birthrate sank to its lowest level.
Births to fathers born in Poland had the largest decrease, falling by 10.3 per cent from 2020 to last year.
The proportion of births to Polish-born fathers has been decreasing since 2015.
Four in ten migrants crossing the Channel in small boats in recent weeks have come from Albania, according to a military intelligence report leaked to the Mail on Sunday.
It revealed a total of 1,075 Albanians crossed the Channel in small boats during a six-week period this summer – almost 40 per cent of those identified as making the perilous crossing.
Overall, the ONS data shows that last year more than one-third (34.2 per cent) of all children born in England and Wales had either one or both parents born outside the UK.
This was a decrease from 34.8 per cent in 2020.
The proportion of births in England and Wales in 2021 to women born outside the UK fell to 28.8 per cent from 29.3 per cent in 2020.
This was due to a higher number of births to UK-born women, the ONS said.
There were 445,055 births to UK-born women last year compared to 179,726 births to mothers born outside the UK.
There were 11,031 more births to UK-born women in 2021 compared with 2020.
For women born outside the UK, the total number of births remained similar to the number seen in 2020.
But there was a difference between England and Wales.
The proportion of births in England to mothers born outside the UK dropped from 30.2 per cent in 2020 to 29.6 per cent in 2021.
In Wales, the proportion of births to mothers born outside the UK increased from 11.8 per cent in 2020 to 12.4 per cent last year.
The total fertility rates for UK-born women increased to 1.54 children per woman in 2021 across England and Wales, which was up from 1.49 children per woman in 2020.
For non-UK born women, the total fertility rates remained the same at 2.03 children per woman.
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