A BBC investigation into Islington, one of London’s most affluent inner boroughs, argues that soaring housing costs and childcare expenses are making it increasingly difficult for people to start and raise families in the capital. The borough has one of the lowest fertility rates in England, with fewer than one child born per woman on average, reflecting a wider trend across London, where between 2013 and 2023, the population of 0–9-year-olds fell by 99,100, despite the capital’s overall population growing by 506,000. The decline has been steeper in inner than outer London..
The article features parents who say they are leaving London because they cannot afford larger homes, or childcare that can cost £2,000–£3,000 per month. Others remain in cramped accommodation, with some families of four living in one-bedroom flats. Career pressures also play a role, with many women delaying motherhood until their late 30s or 40s.
Data analysed by the BBC shows that Islington has extremely high rents, house prices close to 12 times average earnings, long social housing waiting lists and some of the highest childcare costs in the country. At the same time, London’s population of young children has fallen sharply despite overall population growth.
“It’s an existential challenge for London,” says Bassam Mahfouz, chairman of the London Assembly’s Economy, Culture and Skills Committee. His committee’s recent report recommends pursuing UNICEF Child Friendly City status, introducing child-friendly housing standards, and mapping play and recreation spaces across boroughs.
Prospects
Researchers from the London School of Economics say the issue is not simply that people no longer want children; rather, many feel blocked by the cost of living, insecure housing and concerns about their future prospects. Younger adults interviewed in the article often struggle to imagine owning a home or supporting a family in central London.
Katie Beck, a policy fellow at the London School of Economics’ LSE Cities, said: “People want to have children in London, but there are barriers – namely the cost of living and childcare.
“People are not able to stay in London to have children, or once they do they’re moving to outer boroughs or leaving London altogether.”
The London Assembly has described the decline in children as an “existential challenge” for the city, warning that fewer families could eventually affect schools, public services and the future workforce. Proposed solutions include more genuinely affordable housing, child-friendly planning standards, better access to play space and expanded childcare support.
The article concludes that London is not becoming child-free, but family life is becoming increasingly unequal. Those with higher incomes can often remain, while many middle-income households are being pushed to outer boroughs or out of the capital altogether. Islington is presented as a stark example of how property prices may be reshaping not just the housing market, but the very possibility of family life in Britain’s most economically dynamic city.
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