A Level Sociology OCR Practice Exam 2025 - Free Practice Questions and Study Guide

The total fertility rate (TFR) in the UK in 2018 was reported to be approximately 1.7 children per woman. This figure reflects the average number of children that would be born to a woman over her lifetime, based on current age-specific fertility rates. The TFR is an important indicator for understanding population trends, including issues related to population growth or decline, as well as potential implications for economic and social policies.

The context around the TFR indicates that the UK's rate has been declining over the years due to various societal factors, such as changes in women's educational attainment, participation in the workforce, and shifts in personal preferences regarding family size. The figure of 1.7 is notably below the replacement level of 2.1, which is the rate needed to maintain a stable population size in the absence of migration.

In contrasting this with the other options, figures like 2.93, 1.2, and 3.5 do not accurately reflect the demographic trends observed in the UK during that period, as the actual fertility rate fell in a range well below replacement level. Thus, the choice of 1.7 aligns with demographic research and data collected from that timeframe.