Falling birth rate

My parents were both one of six. I was one of three. I had two, my DD has two. Most working parents have two as it’s all they can afford. None of us has ever claimed benefits in our lives.

That's a bit dramatic! The human race won't be dying out any time soon

Well it will if people keep having fewer children. I thought that was kind of obvious

David49

Whitewavemark2

Blimey the message - immigrants seems to be getting through.

High immigration levels generally means economic growth.

It does if they are actually working, not sitting in hotels costing money.

The vast majority of immigrants are not siting in hotels costing money.

Whitewavemark2

Blimey the message - immigrants seems to be getting through.

High immigration levels generally means economic growth.

It does if they are actually working, not sitting in hotels costing money.

Whitewavemark2

Blimey the message - immigrants seems to be getting through.

High immigration levels generally means economic growth.

Ah! But they might not have the right colour skin tone.

Sago

growstuff

Sago

growstuff

But a demand for fewer school places costs the country less.

Labour perhaps should have considered that before they put a 20% hike on private school fees.

I doubt if it would make much difference. There are plenty of places for all the country's children (if their parents don't mind them slumming it).

You clearly stated fewer school places would cost less, now you say it won’t make much difference!

I don't understand the point you're trying to make.

The number of pupils leaving private schools to go to state schools is tiny in the context of the amount spent on education nationally.

There are places for all of them.

Blimey the message - immigrants seems to be getting through.

High immigration levels generally means economic growth.

growstuff

Sago

growstuff

But a demand for fewer school places costs the country less.

Labour perhaps should have considered that before they put a 20% hike on private school fees.

I doubt if it would make much difference. There are plenty of places for all the country's children (if their parents don't mind them slumming it).

You clearly stated fewer school places would cost less, now you say it won’t make much difference!

David49

Low birth rate yet high population growth, it’s crystal clear that many more migrants are going to be needed to service the economy.
Society is changing and there is nothing we can do about it.

12.7% of 18-24 year olds are currently unemployed.

Does the country really need more people?

Low birth rate yet high population growth, it’s crystal clear that many more migrants are going to be needed to service the economy.
Society is changing and there is nothing we can do about it.

Is it one of the main pillars of Reform- that we should all be breeding and returning to an ideal family life where women stay home in drudgery and men rule everything?

Or have I misunderstood?

In 2023 just 56% of births were white British. That concerns me far more than a falling birth rate.

Sago

growstuff

But a demand for fewer school places costs the country less.

Labour perhaps should have considered that before they put a 20% hike on private school fees.

I doubt if it would make much difference. There are plenty of places for all the country's children (if their parents don't mind them slumming it).

Grammaretto

When my DC were born in 1970s and 80s, we knew plenty of other families with 4 or more DC so it was not unusual. One family with 9 DC were brought to school in a minibus. They were a Scottish Italian family.

3 of my DC have 2 each and one has an only child. They all started a lot later than we did.

When we moved here 45 years ago there were 8 feeder primary schools for a huge High school. Now there are 5 and 2 high schools are to be amalgamated.
Hundreds of new houses are being built on green fields so goodness knows what that will do to local services.

Meanwhile my family have left longsince for faraway places.

Presumably the new houses will bring more children, so new schools will need to be built. County councils factor in the need for school places. You sound as though you regret the building on green spaces. Presumably that wouldn't be needed if the population were to decline.

growstuff

But a demand for fewer school places costs the country less.

Labour perhaps should have considered that before they put a 20% hike on private school fees.

fancythat

growstuff

Incidentally, I was born in the mid 50s and I don't remember many families with more than two or three children.

But that wouild still somewhat tie in with the 2.4 children.

Now it is 1.2. Last statistic I read.

Yes, it would. 2.1 children per couple are needed to keep the population stable.

fancythat

Grammaretto

Well I've done my bit with my 4 👍
But hey, we will all be pensioners together and all put pressure on dwindling resources. Oh no 👎

But have your kids had kids many kids of their own?
You dont have to answer that.

Amongst all the younger people in that rough age group that I know, almost none have more than 2 kids. Some have 1. Many have 0 and are quite open about saying they dont intend to in the future either.

My grandmother and gt grandfather were only children. They were born at the end of the Victorian era, when there had been a massive population explosion. Apparently, the decision to have only one child was deliberate (goodness only knows what they used for contraception) because, even in those days, they were concerned about the planet. My grandmother had two children and her parents were furious.

When my DC were born in 1970s and 80s, we knew plenty of other families with 4 or more DC so it was not unusual. One family with 9 DC were brought to school in a minibus. They were a Scottish Italian family.

3 of my DC have 2 each and one has an only child. They all started a lot later than we did.

When we moved here 45 years ago there were 8 feeder primary schools for a huge High school. Now there are 5 and 2 high schools are to be amalgamated.
Hundreds of new houses are being built on green fields so goodness knows what that will do to local services.

Meanwhile my family have left longsince for faraway places.

growstuff

Incidentally, I was born in the mid 50s and I don't remember many families with more than two or three children.

But that wouild still somewhat tie in with the 2.4 children.

Now it is 1.2. Last statistic I read.

Kandinsky

*But a demand for fewer school places costs the country less*

I’m pretty sure someone from the Labour Party was encouraging people to have more children - might have been dreaming of course.

Very few people will be needed in the future as most jobs will be done by robots / AI.
So let’s just let the human race die out naturally - seems to be what some people want.

That's a bit dramatic! The human race won't be dying out any time soon - unless a massive asteroid lands on the planet.

Grammaretto

Well I've done my bit with my 4 👍
But hey, we will all be pensioners together and all put pressure on dwindling resources. Oh no 👎

But have your kids had kids many kids of their own?
You dont have to answer that.

Amongst all the younger people in that rough age group that I know, almost none have more than 2 kids. Some have 1. Many have 0 and are quite open about saying they dont intend to in the future either.

escaped

I read it here growstuff
www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd0vvr9j1dxo
The news item on my car radio was also very upbeat about it, (and something else since covid, but I've forgotten what).

Thanks for posting that.

But a demand for fewer school places costs the country less

I’m pretty sure someone from the Labour Party was encouraging people to have more children - might have been dreaming of course.

Very few people will be needed in the future as most jobs will be done by robots / AI.
So let’s just let the human race die out naturally - seems to be what some people want.

I read it here growstuff
www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd0vvr9j1dxo
The news item on my car radio was also very upbeat about it, (and something else since covid, but I've forgotten what).

Agree. The world needs fewer people.