The ONLY regions in England and Wales where births are outnumbering deaths

A map has laid bare the scale of Britain's baby crisis as most of the country sees deaths outnumber births.

Official estimates released last week show so-called 'natural change' in the population effectively ground to a halt in the year to mid-2023.

Every region saw more deaths than births apart from London and the West Midlands - which have seen high immigration in recent years. Non-UK born women tend to be younger and have higher birth rates, according to experts.

Birmingham saw the biggest annual rise in population due to natural change, at 4,833 - albeit still relatively small compared to the 1.1million population.

Births were 4,036 higher than deaths in the London borough of Newham, which had a population of 362,000.

But in Dorset the 384,000-strong population was reduced by 2,829 during the year.

Almost 60 per cent of the 300-plus authorities in England and Wales had a higher number of deaths than births. For comparison, that figure stood at around a quarter a decade ago.

Cornwall had a 2,819 deficit between births and deaths, and in North Yorkshire the negative contribution was 2,566.

Overall were 598,000 deaths, 24,000 higher than in mid-2022, and the number of births was 598,400, down 21,900.

That meant 'natural change' was just 400 in the year to mid-2023 - the lowest in 45 years.

However, the effective standstill in natural growth was more than offset by immigration.

The population of England and Wales hit 60.9million by the middle of 2023, after net international migration of 622,000.

The increase was the biggest since 1948, when people were returning to the country following the end of the Second World and there was a baby boom.

The ONS estimated that in the year to mid-2023 immigration to England and Wales from abroad was 1,084,000.

Meanwhile, some 462,000 people emigrated - giving net international migration of 622,000. There was net emigration from England and Wales to other parts of the UK of 13,800.

Neil Park of the ONS said: 'High levels of international migration seen in recent years are the main driver of population growth.

'But the year to mid-2023 also saw an increased number of deaths, as well as the lowest number of births since 2002.

'In fact, in the most recent year, births outnumbered deaths by just 400, the lowest reported figure for natural change since the late 1970s.

'And, interestingly, there were more deaths than births in every region, with the exception of London and the West Midlands.'