Only one in four HK couples plans to have children: survey

Only a quarter of couples of childbearing age plan to have children within the next four years, citing housing issues, financial burdens and time cost as the top reasons, according to a survey.  

The survey, conducted by The Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions (HKFTU) Women Affairs Committee, gathered 315 valid responses from individuals under 46. 

Almost 80 percent of respondents cited housing problems as a critical factor affecting their decision to have children, with 59.2 percent indicating that their housing conditions would have a "significant impact" on their choices, according to Women Affairs Committee vice president Ching Ngon Lai.

Insufficient childcare services and "time problems" have long deterred Hongkongers from starting families, and current community childcare services are rated a mere 2.52 out of 5, Ching added. 

HKFTU lawmaker Michael Luk Chung-hung highlighted that many women face the burden of childcare alone, with over 30 percent choosing to be full-time or part-time homemakers. 

The Committee proposed an annual childcare allowance of no less than HK$2,500 for parents of children under 12 to encourage higher birth rates, as well as flexible postpartum work measures and a six-month job protection period for new mothers.

Luk also pointed out that lengthy public housing wait times push young couples past their optimal childbearing age, recommending transitional housing for low-income couples.