Dame Helen Mirren has described it as “heartbreaking” that hundreds of thousands of children could face winter without warm clothing, as a new survey suggests many families are “dreading” Christmas due to poverty. The actress and Barnardo’s ambassador said parents are “living from hand to mouth” amid the cost-of-living crisis.
Research by YouGov for the charity indicates that around 15 per cent of parents will struggle to afford a winter coat for their children this year. Using Office for National Statistics data, Barnardo’s estimates that up to 300,000 children in the UK may not have a winter coat, while some 2.2 million parents are finding it difficult to buy warm clothing for their families.
“It’s heartbreaking that so many children will be hungry and cold this winter, and too many families will be dreading the festive season,” Dame Helen said. Barnardo’s chief executive Lynn Perry added: “Behind the sparkle of the festive season we know there will be children worrying about having enough to eat, making do with a coat that’s too small and feeling left out of the celebrations.”
The charity is among those urging the Government to scrap the two-child benefit cap, with changes expected in next week’s Budget. Barnardo’s is also asking the public to donate unwanted winter coats to its shops. Almost half of its frontline staff reported seeing children and families going without essential clothing.
