Albanians are in the top 10 of foreign-born parents giving birth in UK, data reveals

  • The Office of National Statistics said 3,000 babies were born to Albanians
  • Statistics said Romania was the most common birth for non-UK-born mothers
  • The Albanian population in the UK is estimated at less than 50,000 people  

Albanians are among the most common foreign-born parents in the UK for the first time.

More than 3,000 babies were born here last year to mothers from the Balkan country, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed.

But the figures have prompted questions about the true size of the Albanian population in the UK, which according to official figures stands at less than 50,000.

It comes after a shock report leaked to The Mail on Sunday revealed four in ten migrants crossing the Channel in dinghies were from Albania – a peaceful nation in talks to join the EU – far outnumbering those fleeing war or persecution in Afghanistan or Syria.

Some 3,000 children were born to Albanian-born mothers according to new data released by the Office of National Statistics

Some 3,000 children were born to Albanian-born mothers according to new data released by the Office of National Statistics

The Mail on Sunday had earlier revealed that four in ten people arriving in the UK after crossing the English Channel on small boats is from Albania. Pictured, migrants arriving in Dover earlier this month

The Mail on Sunday had earlier revealed that four in ten people arriving in the UK after crossing the English Channel on small boats is from Albania. Pictured, migrants arriving in Dover earlier this month

The ONS said Romania was the most common country of birth for non-UK-born mothers. 'Albania moved into the top ten most common countries of birth for both non-UK-born mothers and non-UK-born fathers for the first time,' the ONS said.

Among mothers, Albania became the tenth most common country, up from the 41st a decade ago.

And among fathers it became the eighth most common country, up from 36th a decade ago.

Former home office minister Sir John Hayes said: 'It is peculiar that there should be so many babies born here to Albanian parents given the official statistics on their numbers. One is left asking if large numbers of Albanians are here illegally or if they are being granted visas by some other means, and if so why.'

ONS figures for 2019 estimated there were just 47,000 Albanians in the UK – making them the 46th most common overseas-born nationality – of whom 22,000 were female.

Peter Walsh of the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford said: 'Available immigration data do not provide a clear explanation of why Albania has moved for the first time into the top ten most common countries of birth for migrant parents.

'Possible explanations for this include the ONS population estimate being too low [for example due to irregular migration or low response to government surveys], or that Albanians are more likely to be of childbearing age and hence have more children.'

 

Majority of babies were born out of wedlock in 2021 for the first time on record and British women in their 40s now twice as likely to give birth than teens, official figures show

More babies were born outside of marriage in England and Wales last year than to wedded couples for the first time on record, official figures show.

The latest Office for National Statistics data shows around 625,000 live births were logged in the two nations in 2021. But 321,000 of these were outside of marriage or a civil partnership, while 304,000 were within one.

It means just 48.7 per cent of newborns were to a legal couple, falling below the 50 per cent threshold for the first time since records began in 1845. The rate has been trending downwards for the last century.

Meanwhile, the figures also reveal that twice as many women aged 40 and over became mothers last year compared to teenagers, with 30,542 and 13,738 births logged, respectively, marking the biggest gap ever seen.

More babies were born outside of marriage in England and Wales last year than to wedded couples for the first time on record, official figures show. The latest Office for National Statistics data shows around 625,000 live births were logged in the two nations in 2021. But 321,000 of these were outside of marriage or a civil partnership, while 304,000 were within one

More babies were born outside of marriage in England and Wales last year than to wedded couples for the first time on record, official figures show. The latest Office for National Statistics data shows around 625,000 live births were logged in the two nations in 2021. But 321,000 of these were outside of marriage or a civil partnership, while 304,000 were within one

The slight increase in births last year was driven mainly by women in their 30s, with women aged 35 to 39 (light green) seeing the sharpest increase at around 5 per cent. Women aged 20 and under saw a fall of 16 per cent

The slight increase in births last year was driven mainly by women in their 30s, with women aged 35 to 39 (light green) seeing the sharpest increase at around 5 per cent. Women aged 20 and under saw a fall of 16 per cent

The changing face of British families comes against the backdrop of declining fertility rates that dates back decades and has been linked to women choosing to pursue careers over starting a family in their twenties.

Meanwhile, fascinating timelapse maps show how the birthrate in England and Wales has plummeted over the last decade. The fertility rate was 1.61 children per woman in 2021, the second lowest on record and only 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. 

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.

Families were thought to have been put off due to fears about the impact of the virus on the economy and their ability to access medical facilities while pregnant.

Latest figures show that more than half of babies are now born to parents who are not married or in a civil partnership.

The number of births per woman hit an all-time low in the first year of the pandemic, with birthrates falling at pace since 2012, when around 730,000 children were born

The number of births per woman hit an all-time low in the first year of the pandemic, with birthrates falling at pace since 2012, when around 730,000 children were born

The rate peaked at 96 per cent in the early 1900s, before falling to 80 per cent in 1985, 70 per cent in 1991 and 60 per cent in 2001.

It comes amid a trend of couples focusing on their careers and getting married and having children later in life. 

Separate ONS data, published in May, shows the average age of marriage in 2019 was 34 for men and 32 for women, compared to 32 and 29 two decades earlier.

The ONS data also shows that women are now twice as likely to have a child in later life than teenagers.

Teen mothers gave birth to more babies every year than women aged 40-plus and until 2012, but the trend has been reversing ever since.

And in 2021, 13,738 newborns were to mothers aged under 20, compared to 30,542 among older women.

It is the first time on record that the gap between the age groups has been so large. Just two decades ago there were three times as many teenage mothers as those over 40.

The birth rate among women in their teens and early twenties also fell to their lowest ever levels last year, with 8.4 and 43.2 newborns per 100,000 women, respectively.

Some 119,413 babies were born to women in their twenties, while 341,680 live births were logged among women in their thirties, marking the ninth year in a row that women's thirties was the most popular decade to have children.

The number of older mothers has soared in recent decades, as more women concentrate on their career and start families later.

But doctors tend to warn women not to leave it too late to have children. They stress that with age fertility drops and their risk of complications, including stillbirths, increases.

Experts estimate women in their late forties have as little as a one in 20 chance of becoming pregnant because of their lower supply of eggs, which are less capable of being fertilised.

The British Fertility Society previously warned celebrities who have children in their 40s are giving women false hope about late motherhood.

Demand for donor eggs, one of the most common methods for older women to have a baby, have soared in recent years.

Other options include IVF, if the woman still has some of her own eggs, or even intrauterine insemination - when sperm is directly placed into the uterus using a catheter. Fertility drugs and surgery are two other possibilities.

Meanwhile, England and Wales's total fertility rate increased for the first time since 2012, although it is still lower than every other year on record. 

This is the average number of children a woman would have based on current birthrates.

The ONS figures are based on birth registrations, and delays mean some births in 2021 may not be covered. 

It follows provisional data, based on NHS births notifications data, published by the ONS in March.

Fertility rates increased across all regions of England in 2021, except for London and the West Midlands.

Of the total number of live births in 2021, 445,055 were to UK-born women, 179,726 were to non-UK-born women, and in 47 births the country of the mother was not stated.

The percentage of live births to non-UK-born women decreased to 28.8 per cent in 2021 from 29.3 per cent in 2020.

This was similar to the percentage in 2019 and the result of a higher number of UK-born women giving birth.

Romania became the most common country of birth for non-UK-born mothers in 2021, while Pakistan remained the most common country of birth for non-UK-born fathers.

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