Only half of Generation Z and Millennials plan to start a family while the number one reason putting them off children is a desire to concentrate on themselves, a UK survey has found.

Research by OnePoll among 1,000 people aged 18 to 34 who had not begun a family found that one in four had ruled out having a baby completely.

Just 55 per cent said they planned to have children, with another 20 per cent unsure what they would do.

The most common reason, at 49 per cent, was wanting “more time to focus on myself”, followed by financial pressures for 47 per cent and fears about the state of the world for 38 per cent, while 35 per cent were concerned about the impact children would have on the environment. Others had made the choice due to career aspirations or poor health.

The study also found that less than half of all those polled believed it was important for a person to have children to feel fulfilled in their lives.