Impacts of birthrate decline
This POSTnote considers the potential impacts of birthrate decline, including on the workforce and the provision of public services.

An overview of current age assessment processes used in the UK asylum system and an examination of new proposals to use biological methods to distinguish children from adults.
The Use of Biological Methods in Asylum Age Assessments (445 KB , PDF)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.58248/PN666
The Nationality and Borders Bill (2021-22) sets out reforms to immigration and asylum policy. It would allow new approaches to the process of assessing the age of asylum seekers. This briefing is an overview of current age assessment processes used in the UK and internationally. It outlines some biological methods that could be considered to inform age assessments under the new legislation and provides an overview of the evidence on their validity and limitations. It also considers the wider ethical issues arising from their use and other stakeholder perspectives.
Age assessments are used in the asylum system to determine whether an asylum seeker is under 18 years old. They are needed where an individual’s age is unknown or disputed, and where there is little or no supporting evidence. Common approaches using such methods elsewhere in Europe include analysis of the skeleton or teeth (or both). However these techniques have limitations, and their use in this context is widely criticised by a range of stakeholders.
POSTnotes are based on literature reviews and interviews with a range of stakeholders and are externally peer reviewed. POST would like to thank interviewees and peer reviewers for kindly giving up their time during the preparation of this briefing, including:
*denotes people and organisations who acted as external reviewers of the briefing.
The Use of Biological Methods in Asylum Age Assessments (445 KB , PDF)
This POSTnote considers the potential impacts of birthrate decline, including on the workforce and the provision of public services.
This POSTnote will assess evidence on existing interventions, including but not limited to whole-school approaches, multi-agency partnerships, consent education, teacher training, and safeguarding protocols.
This POSTnote will summarise the factors that affect winter mortality. It will outline evidence for policies to prevent excess winter deaths.