Around 277,970 abortions were carried out in England and Wales in 2023, a record high and an 11% increase on 251,377 in 2022. The abortion rate per population rose to 23.7 per 1,000 women aged 15–44 from 21.1 the previous year. For women over 35, the rate has increased significantly over the past decade to 12.3 per 1,000 in 2023, up from 7.1 per 1,000 in 2013. However, the highest abortion rate remains among women aged 20–24. The figures are the latest available and mark the highest annual rate of abortions since abortion was legalized in 1967. The House of Lords supports the decriminalization of abortion in response to this increase.