Abortions in England and Wales soared to an all-time high in 2023, with 277,970 procedures for residents—a shocking 11% jump from 251,377 in 2022, according to Department of Health and Social Care statistics released on January 15, 2026.
This marks the highest figure since the 1967 Abortion Act, with an age-standardized rate of 23.0 per 1,000 women aged 15-44, up from 21.1 the previous year.The surge is blamed on economic pressures like the cost of living crisis and reduced access to contraception due to NHS cuts, per providers like MSI Reproductive Choices UK.
At-home abortions via pills dominated, comprising 72% of cases, facilitated by post-pandemic mail delivery. Alarmingly, 40% of women undergoing abortions had prior terminations, and repeat abortions rose from 102,689 to 117,165. Pro-life advocates decry this as a devastating loss of life, with an estimated 299,614 abortions across the UK. The National Right to Life Committee highlighted the tragedy: “Record number of 299,614 lives lost to abortion in 2023.”
Critics argue that framing the increase as “driven by cost of living” masks deeper societal failures, urging investment in family support, adoption, and crisis pregnancy centers instead of easing abortion access. Conservatives point to liberal policies exacerbating family breakdowns and economic woes, calling for reforms to protect the unborn. As debates intensify over potential decriminalization, this data underscores the urgent need for pro-life protections.