Births continue long-term decline as new NI data reveal rising suicide and drug death averages

The number of babies born in Northern Ireland continued its long-running downward trend through 2025, while newly published provisional figures also point to rising three-year averages for suicide and drug-related deaths.

The latest Registrar General Quarterly Report, published on Monday by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA), provides a detailed snapshot of births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships recorded between 1 October and 31 December 2025, while also bringing the full provisional totals for the calendar year into focus.

The figures show that 4,576 births were registered during the final quarter of 2025, bringing the annual total to 19,062.

That marks a fall from the 4,926 births registered in quarter three and continues what NISRA described as the slight overall downward trend in registered births observed over the past decade.

For Northern Ireland, the figures add to a significant long-term demographic trend that continues to shape future demand across schools, childcare, health services and local communities.

Deaths total 17,755 for the year

Alongside the decline in births, the report recorded a provisional 4,447 deaths in quarter four, taking the total number of deaths registered in 2025 to 17,755.

The death rate also eased slightly.

NISRA said the rate of deaths per 1,000 population decreased to 9.2 in quarter four 2025, compared with 9.4 in the same quarter of 2024.

The latest figures offer one of the clearest indicators of public health trends across Northern Ireland, with cancer, circulatory disease and respiratory illness continuing to account for a substantial share of deaths.

Cancer remains the leading broad cause of death

Cancer remained the largest broad category of underlying cause of death during the final quarter.

Of the 4,447 deaths registered in quarter four:

• 1,196 (26.9%) were attributed to cancer

• 914 (20.6%) were due to circulatory diseases

• 630 (14.2%) were linked to non-Covid-19 respiratory conditions

Across the full year, the provisional totals stood at:

• 4,779 cancer deaths

• 3,863 deaths from circulatory diseases

• 2,277 deaths from respiratory conditions (non-Covid)

These figures continue to underline the ongoing burden placed on Northern Ireland’s health system by long-term and age-related illnesses.

Dementia and Alzheimer’s the leading detailed cause

When examined at a more detailed level, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease remained the leading cause of death in quarter four.

The conditions accounted for 564 deaths, representing 12.7% of all deaths registered during the quarter.

Among women, dementia and Alzheimer’s were again the most common cause, accounting for 381 female deaths.

For men, however, the leading cause was ischaemic heart disease, which was responsible for 222 male deaths registered in the same period.

NISRA said these trends were also reflective of the provisional leading causes of death for the whole of 2025.

The figures continue to reflect Northern Ireland’s ageing population profile and the persistent impact of cardiovascular disease.

Suicide registrations fall in quarter — but longer-term average rises

The report also recorded 60 registered suicide deaths in quarter four 2025.

That is 22 fewer than in the same period of 2024.

However, NISRA stressed that suicide registrations should not be read as deaths that necessarily occurred during the same quarter.

Because these deaths require investigation by the Coroners Service for Northern Ireland before registration, there can be a significant delay between the date of death and the date it appears in official statistics.

To provide a clearer picture of trends, NISRA uses rolling three-year averages.

On that basis, the provisional three-year average for quarter four 2025 was 72, calculated using the average for quarter four of 2023, 2024 and 2025.

More significantly, the latest three-year annual average for suicide death registrations rose to 258, up from 238 in 2024.

That increase points to a concerning longer-term upward movement despite the lower quarterly figure.

Drug-related deaths also increase

The same longer-term trend was seen in drug-related deaths.

The provisional three-year annual average for drug-related deaths rose to 206 in 2025, compared with 191 in 2024.

Alcohol-specific deaths remained largely unchanged.

The provisional three-year average for alcohol-specific deaths stood at 363 in 2025, broadly in line with 365 in 2024.

NISRA said the use of three-year averages helps smooth out short-term fluctuations that can be influenced by registration and administrative processes, providing a more reliable indication of the underlying trend.

Marriages and civil partnerships

The report also provides the latest picture of family formation trends across Northern Ireland.

During quarter four:

• 1,470 marriages were registered

• 21 civil partnerships were recorded

This brings the provisional annual totals for 2025 to:

• 7,125 marriages

• 74 civil partnerships

For comparison, 2024 saw:

• 7,251 marriages

• 52 civil partnerships

The quarterly comparison with the same period in 2024 shows:

• 1,491 marriages in Q4 2024

• 16 civil partnerships in Q4 2024

Of the 1,470 marriages registered in the final quarter of 2025, 68 (4.6%) were same-sex marriages, including both civil and religious or belief ceremonies.

More than half of those — 39 marriages (57%) — were female unions.

Among civil partnerships, the majority were opposite-sex partnerships, accounting for 17 of the 21 registrations.

What happens next

While the figures remain provisional, they offer an early and important view of how Northern Ireland’s population and public health profile shifted through 2025.

The continued decline in births, coupled with persistent mortality pressures and rising longer-term averages for suicide and drug-related deaths, is likely to remain closely watched by health officials, policymakers and local authorities in the months ahead.

Further annual releases from NISRA are expected to provide finalised figures and deeper analysis later in the year.

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At a glance

• 19,062 births were registered across Northern Ireland in 2025

• Quarter four births fell to 4,576, down from 4,926 in quarter three

• 17,755 deaths were registered provisionally in 2025

• Cancer accounted for 4,779 deaths across the year

• The three-year average for suicide deaths rose to 258

• Drug-related deaths three-year average increased to 206

• Marriages dipped slightly to 7,125 in 2025

• Same-sex marriages made up 4.6% of Q4 marriages