PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press release – Abortion numbers record high of 299,614 across UK, group calls for ‘national conversation’ about our abortion laws
15 January 2026 – Abortion numbers reached a record high in 2023, with an estimated 299,614 abortions taking place across the United Kingdom.
Abortion statistics released by the Department of Health and Social Care this morning show the highest number of abortions ever recorded in England and Wales, with 278,740 taking place in 2023, an increase of 26,618 (10.56%) from 2022.
When added to the record 18,242 abortions that took place in Scotland in 2023 and the record 2,632 estimated number of abortions that took place in Northern Ireland in 2023 (see footnotes for calculations and sources), this takes the estimated total number of abortions across the United Kingdom for 2023 to a record 299,614.
The figures for England and Wales released this morning show that:
- In England and Wales, there were a total of 278,740 abortions in 2023, an increase of 26,618 abortions from 2022, when there were 252,122 abortions.
- This represents a 10.56% increase in abortions from the previous year.
- 277,970 of these abortions were for residents of England and Wales, an increase of 26,593.
- The statistics for 2023 also show a rise in repeat abortions for residents of England and Wales from 102,689 in 2022 up to 117,165 in 2023.
- This represents 14,476 more repeat abortions than in 2022.
- This is a 14.1% increase from 2022.
- This means that 42.03% of abortions for residents of England and Wales were repeat abortions.
- There were 3,205 disability-selective abortions in 2023, an increase of 81 from 2022 when there were 3,124 disability-selective abortions.
- This represents a 2.59% increase in disability-selective abortions.
- There were 300 late-term abortions for babies with disabilities at 24 weeks and over for residents of England and Wales, an increase of 44 from 2022, when there were 256 disability-selective abortions.
- This represents a 17.19% increase in late-term abortions for babies with disabilities at 24 weeks and over.
- 735 babies with Down’s syndrome were aborted in 2023.
- There were 10 late-term abortions for babies with Down’s syndrome at 24 weeks and over for residents of England and Wales.
- There were 40 abortions where the baby had a cleft lip or cleft palate, an increase of 14.29% from 2020.
- There were also 5 late-term abortions at 24 weeks and over where a baby had a cleft lip or cleft palate for residents of England and Wales.
- Sadly, the figures for cleft lip and palate are likely to be higher; for example, a 2013 review by Eurocat showed 157 babies were aborted with cleft lip and palate in England and Wales between 2006 and 2010. However, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) recorded only 14 such abortions.
- The Department of Health and Social Care also reported that the number of abortions funded by the NHS performed by private abortion providers reached a record high of 225,790, an increase of 25,532, up from 200,258 in 2022.
- This represents a 12.75% increase from 2022.
- This represents a 421.86% increase since 1999 when there were 43,266 abortions performed by private providers and funded by the NHS.
In recent years, our abortion laws have become even more extreme, and safeguards have been relaxed, endangering women and allowing abortions on a scale that goes far beyond what most people are comfortable with or what the law was designed to permit.
This significant rise in abortions has accompanied the third full year that at-home abortion services have been operating in England and Wales. Since home abortions were introduced, a number of significant problems have arisen.
The situation is likely to get worse if the highly controversial abortion up to birth amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill, which the House of Lords is due to consider at Committee Stage on 27 January, becomes law.
Peers have tabled amendments to the Bill to overturn the abortion up to birth clause, and reinstate in-person consultations with a medical professional prior to an abortion taking place at home.
The rise in the number of abortions also comes as it has been revealed this month that Government data for the first time suggests that a large number of sex-selective abortions of baby girls have happened in this country, and Britain’s largest abortion provider has claimed that the practice of sex-selective abortion is not illegal.
CALLS FOR NATIONAL CONVERSATION
Right To Life UK are calling for a national conversation about our abortion laws that recognises the unique worth of every unborn life and offers full support to women in every pregnancy. (See comment below for full details).
Polling shows large majorities of women in the UK support a number of changes to abortion laws that would have a positive impact on lowering the number of abortions. The polling shows that 70% of women want the current time limit on abortion to be lowered and 91% of women want a ban on sex-selective abortion.
Polling published in the Daily Telegraph shows that two-thirds of women support the reinstatement of in-person appointments and only 4% are in favour of the status quo. In contrast, only 16% of the public support current proposals to decriminalise abortion.
Spokesperson for Right To Life UK, Catherine Robinson, said:
“It is a national tragedy and a national scandal that so many lives were lost to abortion in England and Wales in 2023. Every one of these was a human being whose life had potential and everyone one of them deserved protection”.
“Including abortions that took place in Scotland and Northern Ireland, this takes the total lives lost to abortion across the United Kingdom to a record 299,614 in 2023”.
“We are calling for a national conversation about our abortion laws”.
“Abortion is a sensitive and difficult subject that affects many people. But after today’s figures, MPs can no longer ignore what is happening or the steady drift in recent years into extreme laws. It’s time we woke up as a nation and agreed together that it’s time for change”.
“In recent years, our abortion laws have become even more extreme, and safeguards have been relaxed, endangering women and allowing abortions on a scale that goes far beyond what most people are comfortable with or what the law was designed to permit”.
“That almost 300,000 lives have been lost to abortion across the UK in just one year is a clear sign that something has gone very wrong in our society. Having children is essential to the future prosperity of our country. Children are to be prized and celebrated, with full support and compassion offered when pregnancies are unplanned”.
“The Government must urgently bring forward new protections for unborn children and increased support for women with unplanned pregnancies. Polling shows these changes are backed by the public, and this would ensure we are working together as a society to reduce the tragic number of lives that are lost to abortion each year”.
Comment regarding recent and proposed law changes
“The situation is likely to get worse if the highly controversial abortion up to birth amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill, which the House of Lords is due to consider at Committee Stage before the end of the month, becomes law.”
“This significant rise in abortions has accompanied the third full year that abortion, via the pills by post scheme, has been available outside of a clinical setting in England and Wales”.
“Less than four years ago, at-home abortions were made a permanent part of the law by just 27 votes. A large number of MPs had serious concerns about the negative impact these schemes would have on women”.
“Sadly, these concerns have been confirmed, with women such as Carla Foster performing at-home abortions well beyond the 24-week time limit, putting their health at serious risk. If Carla Foster had been given an in-person consultation, where her gestation could have been accurately determined, she would not have been able to access abortion pills and this tragic case would have been prevented”.
“The clear solution here is the urgent reinstatement of in-person appointments, as has been proposed by an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill tabled by Baroness Stroud, which the House of Lords will consider at Committee Stage this month. This would prevent women’s lives from being put at risk from self-administered late-term abortions”.
“Polling shows that two-thirds of women support the reinstatement of in-person appointments and only 4% are in favour of the status quo”.
ENDS
- For additional quotes and media interviews, contact 07774 483 658 or email press@righttolife.org.uk
- For further information on Right To Life UK, visit www.righttolife.org.uk
- The full 2023 abortion statistics are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/announcements/abortion-statistics-for-england-and-wales-2023
- Calculations for estimated number of abortions for 2023 in Northern Ireland (2,632)
- Abortion statistics for Northern Ireland are published for the year 1 April to 31 March. To produce a pro-rated estimated figure for 1 January to 31 December 2023 year for Northern Ireland, our Policy Team has taken an average of the reported figures for 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023 (2,168) to work out a daily average for the 90 days of January – March 2023 of 5.940, and 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 (2,792) to work out a daily average for the 275 days of April – December 2023 of 7.628.
