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:
- Restoring national leadership: Rising teenage pregnancy rates show progress is slipping. National direction is needed to tackle the inequalities driving these trends and support councils, the NHS and Integrated Care Boards to turn the tide and respond effectively.
- Delivering a new sexual and reproductive health (SRH) strategy: England hasn’t had a national SRH strategy for over 20 years. A modern, cross-departmental plan is urgently needed to reflect young people’s realities and support effective local action.
- Fixing the data gap: Councils need timely, localised data to track trends, commission services and respond quickly. Better data from the ONS on conception rates would help target support where it’s needed most.
- Investing in prevention that works:
- Make sure all young people receive high-quality Relationships, Health and Sex Education, backed by proper training and resources.
- Ensure access to youth-friendly sexual health services. Councils commission these vital services locally, but many young people still face barriers. National support is needed to expand access and meet growing demand.
- Support young parents through local services. Councils deliver vital early help through family hubs, children’s centres and commissioned support. National backing is needed to strengthen these services and ensure young parents get the help they need to thrive.
- Joining up youth policy: The upcoming cross-government youth strategy should align health, education and social care to rebuild the prevention ecosystem. Implementation must be shaped by local expertise and the voices of young people themselves.
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
- LGA: Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Guide
- LGA: Supporting young parents to reach their full potential
- ONS: Conceptions in England and Wales 2022 - ONS latest data shows a slight rise in under-18 conceptions following the lifting of pandemic restrictions, though rates remain lower than pre-pandemic levels. This may reflect temporary disruption but also signals the need to maintain focus on prevention.
- Data from the WHO shows a decline in condom use among adolescents, increasing the risk of STIs and unintended pregnancies.
- In 2023, babies born to mothers under 20 had an infant mortality rate of 7.0 per 1,000 live births, compared to 3.9 nationally. (ONS)
- Young mothers also experience higher rates of postnatal depression and poor mental health. (Maternal Mental Health Alliance)