‘Might be time to tax the childless’ Radical proposal for overhaul as birth rates plummet

Estimated read time 5 min read


National Insurance: Young population to bear burden says Currie

The latest census for England and Wales shows the population has grown to 59.6 million, but growth in the number of people in those countries has slowed from 7.8 percent between 2001 and 2011 to 6.3 percent from 2011 to 2021. The number of under fives in England and Wales fell by 7.6 per cent between 2011 and 2021 to 3.2 million.

Meanwhile, the number of people in the 70 to 74 age bracket now numbers almost three million. There are half a million people aged 90 and over.

The figures have sparked discussion about the impact of a falling population on the economy and calls for intervention by some.

Author, Dr Paul Morland, warns a shortage of births today will lead to a shortage of workers in 20 years and politicians are not “incentivised” to take action because of the clash between electoral and demographic cycles.

The writer of Tomorrow’s People: The Future of Humanity in Ten Numbers says England and Wales are approaching a “population emergency” which needs to be discussed by “informed” people rather than “cranks and fanatics”.

Crowd

A crowd of people cross London Bridge (Image: Getty)

Crowds on Princes Street, one of Scotland's largest and busiest shopping streets, in Edinburgh

Crowds on Princes Street, one of Scotland’s largest and busiest shopping streets, in Edinburgh (Image: Getty)

He suggests the UK should aim to have a population which is growing “moderately” to ensure a steady rise in worker numbers.

Dr Morland also recommends what he describes as a “grown our own” policy, to provide most population growth from “within our racially and ethnically diverse country”, rather than via immigration.

He puts forward a number of ideas which he says will boost the birth rate, including a national day to celebrate parenthood.

A telegram from the Queen for a family having a third child; sacrificing green belt land around London for cheaper family homes and re-targeting child benefit to encourage families to have children are also among his proposals.

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Kids

Children play in a park (Image: Getty)

Two mothers are pushing their son and daughter on the swings in the park

Two mothers push their son and daughter on the swings in a park (Image: Getty)

Dr Morland, writing in The Sunday Times, continues: “Introduce a ‘negative child benefit’ tax for those who do not have offspring.

“This may seem unfair on those who can’t or won’t have children, but it recognises that we all rely on there being a next generation and that everyone should contribute to the cost of creating that generation.”

A final recommendation from the demographer at St Antony’s College, Oxford, is to educate people that getting pregnant becomes more difficult with age.

The ideas sparked a backlash on social media with one critic making an expletive-laden comment on Twitter.

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GDP growth (Image: Express)

Ian Dunt, a columnist for The i, fumed: “This can get in the f****** bin. And then we can kick the sh** out of the bin, set fire to it and throw it over a f** cliff.”

Fellow Twitter user Lara de Belder chimed in: “I’m sorry what actual fresh hell is this?! Negative child benefit?? Surely Paul Morland is having a laugh!!”

Twitter user Bing Chandler commented: “Paul Morland appears to be a modern day Malthus. The idea that technology and changing habits might supplement a dwindling population appears to have completely evaded him, breed more peasants for the factories is his only solution.”

Some welcomed Dr Morland’s ideas with Twitter user Colin Brazier writing: “The UK must accept that endless immigration is not a long-term solution to Britain’s plummeting population. It’s time to ‘grow your own’. Brilliant piece in today’s Sunday Times by Paul Morland.”

Multi-tasking father is in a parking lot, holding his baby boy in one arm while setting up his pushchair with the other

A father in a parking lot, holding his baby boy in one arm while setting up his pushchair (Image: Getty)

More than 24 million households across England and Wales filled in census questionnaires in spring last year, with a record 89 percent of responses completed online.

Figures show the south east remains the most populous region in England with 9.3 million people, followed by London (8.8 million). The north east was the least populous (2.6 million).

The east of England saw the biggest percentage rise in population from the 2011 to 2021 census, up 8.3 percent from 5.8 million to 6.3 million.

In London, the population grew by 7.7 percent in a decade, up from 8.2 million to 8.8 million.

A total of 25 local authorities recorded a drop in population between the census of 2011 and the survey in 2021, with Kensington and Chelsea showing the biggest percentage population drop (down 9.6 percent from 158,649 to 143,400).

The new figures showed nearly one-in-five people (18.6 percent) is aged 65 and over, up from 16.4 percent in 2011.

In north Norfolk, one-third (33.4 percent) of its population on census day was aged 65 and over – the highest proportion for any local authority area in England and Wales.

There are 56 areas where at least 25 percent of the population is aged 65 and over.

ONS figures show 51.0 percent of the population is female and 49.0 percent is male. This compares to 50.8 percent female and 49.2 percent male in 2011.





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