Teen pregnancies rise for the first time in 14 years prompting LGA call for renewed action
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The Local Government Association (LGA) is warning that a recent
upward trend in teenage pregnancies signals a risk of complacency
and is calling for renewed national action on prevention. In the 25
years since the publication of the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy for
England, councils have worked with local multi-agency partners to
effectively reduce under-18 conception rates by 70 per cent. Areas
with the highest levels of deprivation have seen the steepest
decline. Despite...Request free trial
The Local Government Association (LGA) is warning that a recent upward trend in teenage pregnancies signals a risk of complacency and is calling for renewed national action on prevention. In the 25 years since the publication of the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy for England, councils have worked with local multi-agency partners to effectively reduce under-18 conception rates by 70 per cent. Areas with the highest levels of deprivation have seen the steepest decline. Despite this progress, under-18 conceptions and abortions have risen since 2020, alongside a decline in condom use among adolescents. The LGA warns it signals lost momentum and could reflect broader systemic pressures. Funding cuts are pushing councils from upstream prevention to downstream crisis response. Without sustained investment and attention to digital exclusion, school absence, and misinformation, progress may stall. Alongside improved outcomes for teenagers, investment in teenage pregnancy programmes delivers substantial cost-saving benefits to public services through reduced demand on health, social care, housing and education services – with every £1 spent, £4 is saved. A call to government is backed by two newly published guides for councils. The guides highlight the importance of relationships and sex education, youth-friendly contraceptive services, targeted support for at-risk young people, and comprehensive support for young parents. The LGA is calling on the Government to act now to prevent further rises in teenage pregnancy by:
Cllr Dr Wendy Taylor, Chair of the LGA's Health and Wellbeing Committee, said: “Councils have led the way in reducing teenage pregnancies. We must now build on the achievements of the past 25 years by tackling persistent inequalities, digital exclusion, school absence and pandemic legacies. “Teenage pregnancy is not just a public health issue, it's about safeguarding, education, and social justice. Supporting young parents is equally vital to improving outcomes and breaking cycles of disadvantage. “We urge the Government to act now, restore national leadership for local delivery and invest in prevention and early help to stop any further rise in teenage pregnancies.” James Woolgar, Chair of the English HIV and Sexual Health Commissioners Group (EHSHCG) said: “The EHSHCG warmly welcomes the launch of this important case study and evidence guide on teenage pregnancy prevention, and we were delighted to contribute by helping to gather some of the featured examples. “The teenage pregnancy prevention agenda remains a vital public health and local government priority – not only in supporting young people to make informed choices, but also in addressing the wider social and health inequalities that can arise from unintended pregnancies. “Across England, councils and partner organisations have continued to build strong, lasting partnerships to deliver targeted support, using local data, evidence, and lived experience to shape interventions for those most in need. This collaborative, evidence-based approach has been central to the significant reductions in teenage conceptions we have seen nationally over the past two decades, and it continues to underpin our shared efforts to improve all outcomes, including sexual and reproductive health, for young people.” Gillian McLauchlan, spokesperson for sexual and reproductive health for the Association of Directors of Public Health, said: “Until recently, the reduction in the number of teenage pregnancies has been one of the unsung success stories of public health. This success wasn't by chance, but instead was the result of an evidence-based national strategy which is no longer in place. “As the guides the LGA has published today show, there are many examples of how, at a local level, councils work in partnership across the country to provide high-quality relationship and sex education, youth-friendly contraceptive services, and targeted support for those most at risk of unplanned pregnancy. “However, funding for this work has been consistently cut over the last decade and, despite the people on the ground's best efforts, it has become impossible to meet rising demand. “To reverse the rise in teenage pregnancy at the same time as reducing the rates of STIs, the Government must work with local leaders to develop a national strategy that incorporates the successes from previous work. Of course, this will also need to be backed by adequate resource so that we can reach as many young people as possible.” Notes to editors
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