Warnings children in North West anxious parents can't heat homes at Christmas
Nearly two thirds of children across the region are worried their parents will have to sacrifice something to buy Christmas presents.
Shocking new stats show that nearly two thirds of children across the north west are worried their parents will have to sacrifice something to buy them Christmas presents.
New figures from Action for Children found that almost a quarter of 11-21 year-olds worry their parents wont have enough to pay household bills this festive season.
The research highlights the cost of living crisis is far from over and continuing to take its toll on thousands of families with children across the North West, particularly those on the breadline.
The survey of nearly 3,000 UK children and young people aged 11-21, looked to explore the financial pressures facing families with children in the run up to Christmas.
The research found large numbers of the children and young people polled in the North West are acutely aware of their parents’ or carers’ concerns about money, with over three quarters (78%) of those surveyed feeling those worries will make this Christmas an anxious time.1 The survey of 11-21-year-olds in the North West also found:
- Three in five of those surveyed (62%) think it’s likely their parents will have to sacrifice something important or special for themselves over the Christmas holidays to make sure they receive presents;
- more than four in ten (43%) think their family will be worse off financially this Christmas compared to last year;
- a quarter (24%) worry their parents won’t have enough money to pay household bills.
- almost a fifth (19%) worry their parents will struggle keep their house warm.
Anna Roby is from a child psychologist from Nurture Psychology. She says its important for parents to open up about their worries to their children: "I guess the figures don't surprise me.
"11 to 21 year-olds will be aware of the changes in government budget and stuff on the news, social media platforms they're quite driven by anxiety, there's lots of worry out there so they're no different to adults.
"I don't think we talk about money enough culturally and with our children.
"I think its really important, its not something we learn at school and yet it can be one of the biggest anxieties in adult life."
Many were also concerned about the hardship facing children or young people they know in their school or peer group, with:
- a third (33%) of those surveyed worried about a family they know who wouldn’t be able to afford Christmas presents;
- around a fifth knew someone they worried wouldn’t have the money to travel to visit their family over Christmas (19%) or whose family wouldn’t be able to pay for a Christmas tree to decorate (19%),
- one in six (18%) are worried about a family they know who would struggle buy a Christmas dinner.
The cost of living crisis continues to be felt hardest by low-income families with children. The proportion of UK 11-21-year-olds who felt their parents would be anxious because of money worries, have to sacrifice something special for themselves, be unable to afford presents, a Christmas dinner or keep their house warm, was on average 14 percentage points higher for those living in families receiving Universal Credit.