Key facts
- Demand for surrogacy in the UK has doubled since 2015, with nearly 1,000 children born via surrogacy in 2025.
- The majority of surrogacy births for UK intended parents occur abroad due to legal restrictions and payment differences.
- A 2023 Law Commission review proposed reforms, including granting legal parenthood to intended parents from birth, but these have not been prioritized by the government.
- Current UK law requires surrogates to be listed as the legal mother, necessitating a lengthy parental order process for intended parents.
- Experts and agencies highlight significant issues including a shortage of UK surrogates, risks associated with overseas arrangements, and distress for new families.
The UK's surrogacy laws are struggling to cope with a sharp increase in demand, leading to distress for families and potential exploitation, experts have warned. Figures show nearly 1,000 children were born via surrogacy in 2025, double the number from 2015, driven by factors including rising infertility and a growing number of gay couples seeking to become parents.
While 150 of these births occurred in the UK, where surrogates are only compensated for expenses, the majority were born abroad in countries like the US, Ukraine, Nigeria, Georgia, Colombia, and Mexico, where surrogates can be paid a fee. UK surrogacy agencies report being overwhelmed by demand, with some forced to turn away prospective parents.
A 2023 Law Commission review recommended significant reforms, including granting legal parenthood to intended parents from birth and increasing regulatory oversight. Currently, the surrogate is listed as the mother on the birth certificate, requiring intended parents to apply for a parental order, a process that can take months and cause distress. Experts argue this outdated system deters potential surrogates and pushes families towards less regulated international arrangements.
Concerns have been raised about the ethical implications of surrogacy, with the UK operating an altruistic model while other countries allow payment. The UN's special rapporteur on violence against women and girls has called for the global abolition of surrogacy, citing risks of exploitation for impoverished women. Despite the identified problems and a draft bill based on the Law Commission's recommendations, the government has not prioritized legislative change.
Agencies highlight that the legal uncertainty in the UK discourages surrogates and pushes parents to seek arrangements overseas, sometimes in "wild west" conditions with language barriers and potential risks for both parties. A petition calling for intended parents to be recognized from birth has garnered over 100,000 signatures, triggering a parliamentary debate. Meanwhile, UK agencies face a significant shortage of surrogates, leading to waiting times of around three years and increasing desperation among intended parents.