Families at risk of `winter debt`

25 December 2009

Research by children`s charity Save the Children has suggested that families will fall into debt this winter to afford things like clothing, food and bills, the BBC reports.

A survey of 1,006 parents with a net household income of less than £30,000 per year found that the majority of parents in that category are `going to struggle to manage this winter`.

More than half (52%) of those questioned admitted that this winter, they would take on high-interest debt to cover costs.

27% of families on low incomes stated that they would have to take on debt to pay their fuel bills, 22% said they would have to take on debt in order to buy winter clothes such as warm coats and shoes, and 21% said they would have to take on debt to afford essentials such as food.

Fergus Drake, UK Director at Save the Children, said: "It is shocking that so many families have to borrow money to pay for essentials such as heating and food, with many parents forced to cut back on Christmas presents as well as winter clothes. Families cannot continue to scrape by like this."

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