Is This The End Of The 2.4 Family? Increase In British Families With Just One Child

British couples are having fewer children, with experts predicting that over half of UK families are set to have just one child by 2022.

One-child families seem to be trending, showing an increase of almost 12 per cent in the last 11 years – a figure that will reach 50 per cent within the next seven years, say experts.

The stats, which come from an Office of National Statistics (ONS) study on families and households, show that the single-child movement isn’t restricted to parents who are single, married or living with their partner.

And while the amount of families having one child isn’t dramatically increasing, the percentages are slowly, and steadily, on the rise.

In 2003, the amount of married couples with one child was 37 per cent - a figures that's now 40 per cent.

While unmarried couples who live together with one child has increased from 51 per cent to 53 per cent.

But the number of single parents with an only child has had the largest increase – from 52 per cent to 58 per cent.

While fewer children in the UK will ease the pressure on over-full classrooms and probably the NHS, too, it does mean that Britain could be set for a lot more old people than young – not great for the economy.

And though there are undoubtedly positives to being an only child (having your parents' sole attention, for example), there are downsides.

“Research in China has shown that most children from single child families do exceedingly well,” says Professor Ann Buchanan, an expert in social work at Oxford University.

“However, there is concern about higher suicide rates. The pressure on lone children is greater and this can lead to mental health problems.”

Why Are British People Having Less Children?
There are lots of reasons why single-child families are on the rise.

We already know that both men and women are having children later in life, which leaves less time for a second baby. And of course there have been numerous studies about women putting their baby-making endeavors on hold in order to climb the career ladder.

Often, financial issues stop people from expanding their family. If both parents work then the hefty cost of childcare in the UK factors in. Or perhaps they simply can’t afford the gear and living costs that come with more than one baby.

Plus, lots of couples now separate or divorce before they add to their brood with baby number two.

Or maybe contraception is just working better? We’ll keep brainstorming.

[Could Stressing About Being An ‘Older’ Mum Harm Your Fertility More Than Your Age?]

[New Mummy Blog: Preparing My Toddler For Baby Number Two]

How many children do you have? Let us know in the comments.