CHILD-FREE AND CAREFREE
The number of women not having children, whether by choice or not, is on the rise. Office for National Statistics figures show that among women who turned 45 in 2021, almost one in five – 18% – were childless. That’s a fairly big increase on their mothers’ generation.
Experts explain this by saying that the obstacles to having children keep growing, while the stigma of being childless has more or less disappeared. And I should know – neither the husband nor I ever wanted kids and our childless status has always been accepted.
Add in the cost of bringing up a child – £200,000 until the age of 18 – plus more women working and
