‘No bandwidth left for the family’: why many Singaporeans want to be child-free
As Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong prepares to unveil plans to ease the strain on families during his National Day Rally speech on Sunday, a new survey points to a difficult question behind the city state’s record-low fertility rate: what if a substantial share of residents no longer want children at all? Nearly one in four Singaporeans aged 18 to 44 surveyed by YouGov in July said they…
Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong is set to address the city-state's record-low fertility rate during his National Day Rally speech. A recent YouGov survey of Singaporean adults aged 18-44 reveals that 23% have no desire to have children. Zahir Latif, a 42-year-old freelance content creator, and his wife are among those who have decided to remain child-free.
They cite financial concerns, lack of time, and fear of losing their identity as reasons for their decision. The survey also found that 30% of respondents aged 18-44 believe the government has no solution to encourage them to have children. Vincent Chua, a sociology professor at the National University of Singapore, emphasizes that Singapore's economic system makes work and family incompatible activities.
The country's total fertility rate fell to a record low of 0.87 in 2025, despite various state support measures such as cash gifts, grants, subsidized childcare, and reduced childcare fees. The government has formed a work group to tackle the declining birth rate, but many Singaporeans continue to face challenges related to the cost of raising children, time spent with family, caregiving, and housing.
Prime Minister Wong has acknowledged these barriers and is expected to discuss potential solutions during his National Day Rally. Analysts argue that changing Singapore's fertility rate may require a focus on improving family well-being rather than solely relying on incentives.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
