In 2025 alone, 36 men made sole applications for parental orders, Cafcass data shows. The law giving single people the same surrogacy rights as couples was changed in 2019. Between 2020 and 2024, there were 2,022 applications for parental orders made by couples and single men and women. Single men applying for parental rights of a child born through surrogacy is still low overall.
Celebrity hairdresser George Northwood became a father via surrogacy in 2024. Some critics claim social media photos of celebrities with surrogate babies 'airbrush out the birthing mother'. Campaign group Surrogacy Concern calls for a ban on surrogacy for single men. Helen Gibson, founder of Surrogacy Concern, said: 'The growth in the numbers of single men pursuing surrogacy should alarm us all.' She added: 'Children's needs are best served remaining with their birth mothers; this is especially important for newborn babies who bond with their mothers in utero, regardless of the egg used in pregnancy.' Anti-surrogacy campaigners argue the practice 'exploits the poverty of low-income women'. SurrogacyUK says solo parents are welcomed but this is not a trend. Sarah Jones, chief executive of SurrogacyUK, said: 'While we want to be clear that solo parents are warmly welcomed, this is certainly not a trend. The overwhelming majority of our members continue to be couples.'
The growth in the numbers of single men pursuing surrogacy should alarm us all.
Children's needs are best served remaining with their birth mothers; this is especially important for newborn babies who bond with their mothers in utero, regardless of the egg used in pregnancy.
At birth, babies want and need only their mothers; separation is cruel.
Mothers are the primary safeguarders of their children: removing babies from their mothers and handing them over to the sole care of lone men should not be happening.
We understand why those who cannot have children wish to do so, but this should not be a route open to single men.
It's high time this entire industry was banned completely, regardless of sex or sexuality.
While we want to be clear that solo parents are warmly welcomed, this is certainly not a trend. The overwhelming majority of our members continue to be couples.