China offers parents £375 per child to tackle declining birth rate
China’s financial offer to boost births
- China has introduced a nationwide annual childcare subsidy of 3,600 yuan (£376) for each child under three years old.
- The scheme, effective from 1 January 2025, aims to combat the country's declining birth rate and is projected to benefit nearly 20 million families.
- This initiative follows China's population falling for the third consecutive year, with a decline of 1.39 million in 2024.
- The long-term decline in birth rates is linked to the former one-child policy, rapid urbanisation, and a cultural preference for male children.
- Critics argue that financial incentives alone may not be enough, pointing to high childcare costs, job uncertainty, and gender discrimination as key factors discouraging family growth.