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Jess King once believed that motherhood was an inevitable step for women, something she always expected would happen in her life. However, as she matured, a lingering uncertainty grew within her. She recalls questioning herself: “Am I not ready for this, or do I not want this?” Unlike many friends and acquaintances with children who described feeling a natural maternal instinct, Jess found she simply didn’t experience that urge. This absence led her to reconsider her assumptions about having kids.
Increasingly, women in the UK are making similar decisions to remain childfree. Research by the Centre for Social Justice indicates that approximately three million women between the ages of 16 and 45 are likely to forgo motherhood. This shift contrasts sharply with previous generations; if current fertility rates matched those of their grandparents, an additional 600,000 women would be having children. Birth rates in England and Wales have declined for four consecutive years as of 2025, reaching levels not seen in nearly 50 years, according to data from the Office for National Statistics.
Several underlying social and economic factors contribute to this trend. The CSJ report points to challenges such as rising housing costs, delayed financial independence, later marriages, and career uncertainties. Jess, a self-employed content creator living in west London with her partner Ollie, mentions financial instability as a key consideration. “There are so many people struggling to get by. Some months, we are really scraping the pennies and it can be difficult,” she explains. Alongside finances, concerns about climate change, career ambitions, and a desire for freedom all influence women’s choices. Jess and others, like 33-year-old Chy Black, have found solace and validation in online childfree communities, where countless women share and discuss their reasons for opting out of motherhood.
Chy’s experience highlights cultural pressures alongside practical concerns. From an African background where motherhood is often expected, she encountered shock and disbelief from her extended family when she announced her decision. She says, “Being someone with resistance to that idea was met with a lot of shock and disbelief.” Chy values her independence and fears she could not provide the abundant love a child deserves. Her priorities include advancing her career and travelling—activities she believes would be significantly restricted by parenthood. The CSJ survey supports these sentiments, showing that many women who do not wish to have children cite career progression and high childcare costs as major reasons. Chy also criticizes the lack of adequate support systems for mothers, which she feels limits women’s opportunities beyond motherhood. “If those systems were to change, maybe my decision could have been swayed earlier on,” she reflects
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