Hong Kong needs to give families an annual childcare allowance instead of a one-off to encourage them to have more children, according to the Federation of Trade Unions (FTU).

A survey conducted by the FTU of 447 people from June to August found that only a quarter of respondents under 46 and without children planned to have their first within four years.

Charlotte Mou, a member of the group's Women Affairs Committee, said three key reasons for the unwillingness to have children are housing, financial and time pressures.

The committee recommends a policy be instituted whereby families get an annual childcare allowance of no less than HK$2,500 up until their offsprings are at least 12 years old, regardless of household income.

Other suggestions include hostel coverage for young couples who do not have public housing, 16 weeks of fully-paid maternity and seven days of fully-paid paternity leave.

Deputy committee director and legislator Michael Luk said the allowance would help lift the birth rate and, in spite of the impact on the current fiscal deficit, economic growth.

"The key point is, we hope to build a fertility-friendly society to help women strike a balance between their careers and having a baby.

"So it is, more or less, a whole-life support for them to make them more willing to have a baby."

Committee members will be meeting with officials from the Labour and Welfare Bureau and the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau to make their case for the policy recommendations.