Rising cost of bills, petrol and food is making many British couples shelve their plans to start a family, says a survey which found four in 10 couples in Britain doing so because they view it as too much of an expense to afford.
A study of 2,412 childless couples found they had decided to delay having children for an average of two years and three months, the Daily Express reported.
Many of the couples fear it could be four years before they might afford to start a family.
A spokesman for Skipton Building Society, which carried out the study, said: "The credit crunch has had a devastating effect on traditional family structures. People are earning less than ever compounded by fears over job security."