THE cost-of-living crisis is driving more parents and carers to resort to borrowing to get by, new research from the Children’s Society suggests.
In a survey of 2000 parents and carers of children under 18 in the UK, carried out in November and published on Monday, most respondents (86 per cent) reported being under financial strain.
Asked how well their household had been managing financially over the past three months, one third (34 per cent) said that they were “just about” getting by, 21 per cent said that they were finding finances “quite difficult”, while 12 per cent said that they were finding it “very difficult”.
The Children’s Society explains in a statement: “We considered those that said they found it quite or very difficult to manage financially during the last three months to be in financial strain; 33 per cent of those that responded indicated they were in financial strain.”
Almost half (46 per cent) said that that they were either “very likely” or “somewhat likely” to borrow money in the next three months to pay for essentials (such as food and energy) because of rising costs. A further ten per cent answered that they did not know whether this would be the case.
Asked how often, if at all, their household had run out of money before the end of the month in the past, just 18 per cent said that this had never happened. Two thirds (66 per cent) said that this had happened sometimes, most of the time, or that it always happened.
One young person told the charity: “My mum’s going to prioritise me and my sisters over herself. That makes me worry because my mum might skip meals just so we can heat the house, or so I can eat or my sisters can eat. That makes me stressed.”
Another said: “There are currently more foodbanks than there are McDonald’s and that is just shameful. We need to end that culture of shame.”
Most of the respondents (88 per cent) celebrated Christmas, of whom two-thirds (63 per cent) said that they thought that rising costs would have a negative effect on their household experience of Christmas time. About 12 per cent reported that it would have a positive effect.
About one half to two-thirds of those celebrating Christmas said that they would spend less on presents (58 per cent), decorations (55 per cent), food and drink (56 per cent), activities (58 per cent), and travel costs (47 per cent) this year.
The chief executive of the Children’s Society, Mark Russell, said: “Many families now find themselves in a desperate situation, with money worries at an all-time high at the worst possible time of year. The impact on children and families is devastating.
“Christmas should be a time to get together with friends and family, to relax and enjoy the festivities. But with finances so tight and many families struggling to afford even the essentials, and having to borrow to get them, we predict a ticking time-bomb of debt is just around the corner.
“Too many families face this immediate crisis, and the worst of winter is still to come.”
The charity is urging the Government to provide additional support this winter.
childrenssociety.org.uk