Office for National Statistics (ONS) numbers show a 14% increase in the number of fathers over the age of 60 compared to 2023; from 942 live births in 2023 to 1,076 live births in 2024. And an overall increase in fathers aged 30+.

There is a similar trend in motherhood with a near 5% reduction in the number of mothers under 20, and a general increase in the trend of mothers over the age of 30. The largest increase in live births from 2023 to 2024 was for mothers aged 35 to 39 years, where numbers of live births grew by 2.7%.

In 2024, there were 594,677 live births in England and Wales, the first year in which the birth rate has increased since 2021, and a small increase of 0.6% on 2023 (591,072).

The rise in the number of older fathers has been brought to the fore by celebrities including Rod Stewart, Robert De Niro and Al Pacino who have all fathered children in later life.

The number reverse the recent trend of falling birth rate said .

“Despite this overall rise, the number of births to mothers under 30 fell, as people continue to put off having children until later in life. The largest decrease is seen amongst those under 20 years old, which fell by almost 5%.”

While the statistics don’t provide any detail the nature of the family (whether by surrogate/IVF etc) it is estimated IVF births now represent one child in every classroom.