Wed, 13 Aug 2025

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 Falling birth rate in Jersey a 'ticking bomb'

Housing Minister Sam Mézec says fewer births and an ageing population poses a huge challenges.

* Deputy Sam Mézec warns that Jersey's falling birth rate and ageing population pose a "ticking bomb" for the island.
* The number of births in Jersey between 2021-2024 fell by 20%, compared to a 5% drop in England and Wales.
* Mézec blames difficulty finding affordable housing, saying young families are being priced out of the market.
* He urges policy-makers to support younger people into family-sized homes to reverse the trend.
* Mark Boleat from Policy Centre Jersey notes that smaller communities like Jersey are more vulnerable to falling birth rates.
* Parents tell the BBC that the cost of living is making it impossible for them to raise children in Jersey, with one couple saying they may have to move off-island.
* Environmentalist Nigel Jones argues that a lower birth rate is not necessarily a problem, citing education levels as a major factor.
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