Record number of UK births by foreign mothers, figures show
A RECORD number of births in England and Wales last year were to foreign mothers, figures have revealed.
Immigration figures fall to lowest number in three years
Almost one in three children born in 2016 have mothers from outside the UK – the highest level since records began in 1969.
This is up from 27.5 per cent the year before, with figures increasing every year since 1990, when it was just 11.6 per cent.
Researchers from the Office for National Statistics said the rise was partly due to higher fertility rates among foreign-born women.
Almost one in three children born in 2016 have mothers from outside the UK
The non-UK population rose from 8.6 million in 2015 to 9.2 million in 2016.
Poland is the most common country of birth for mothers born outside the UK, while Pakistan came out on top for foreign fathers.
Statistician Nicola Haines said: “Despite an overall decline in the number of live births between 2015 and 2016, births to women born outside the UK increased by 2.1 per cent.
This is due to foreign-born women making up an increasing share of the population of childbearing age.”