Nearly half of UK parents are skipping meals or reducing how much they eat to afford Christmas for their children, according to new research from the charity Barnardo's. The polling found that 45% of parents have made this sacrifice, while 43% expect to go into debt to cover the festive season.
The survey also revealed that 52% of parents are worried that a magical Christmas will be harder to afford this year compared to last year. Struggling parents told the charity they are choosing between heating and eating to ensure their children enjoy the season.
Parents' Financial Sacrifices
Asked about the financial sacrifices they make, more than a quarter (27%) of parents said they have given up saving for emergencies, one in six (16%) said they have gone without heating their home, and a similar proportion (17%) said they have struggled to pay household bills on time.
One father from Edinburgh, aged 58, described going without meals and heating to provide for his children. He said he has sat without lights on to save electricity and filled the kitchen sink to wash rather than having a bath or shower.
Personal Stories of Hardship
A mother-of-two, 38, from Edinburgh, told the charity she slept on the couch because there was not enough space in her two-bedroom house with three children. She said she did not tell her children when she was struggling or that she could not afford things at Christmas.
A 19-year-old from County Armagh, Northern Ireland, said his mother has been in tears over the stress of Christmas. He said he tries to find part-time work around the festive season and that his mother hides how much she struggles from his siblings.
Barnardo's Campaign and Appeal
Barnardo's set up a pop-up shop disguised as a gift shop in central London this week, replacing price tags on children's gifts and clothing with labels telling the stories of what struggling parents have sacrificed. The charity is urging the public to donate to its child poverty campaign.
Dame Helen Mirren, actress and Barnardo's ambassador, said: "Parents always want the best for their children – but for some families living in poverty that just isn't possible." EastEnders star Michelle Collins also spoke of her own upbringing by a single mother who worked hard to make ends meet.
Barnardo's chief executive Lynn Perry said: "These findings paint a deeply worrying picture of the pressure many families are facing as Christmas approaches. Behind every statistic is a parent doing everything they can to protect their children from hardship, often by going without themselves." Censuswide surveyed 2,763 UK parents of children aged under 18 between October 6 and 16.
