Parents scrimp on food and sell possessions

MORE than half of parents with children aged 18 or under in the UK have been forced to cut back on food spending for their family over the past 12 months, as a way of helping to save money, according to new research by YouGov for the UK’s largest children’s charity, Barnardo’s. The current cost-ofliving situation has seen a quarter of parents forced to sell possessions and one in five parents have taken on new credit cards, extra debt or a payday loan.

Barnardo’s is concerned about the impact on children as over a quarter of parents said their child’s mental health has worsened due to the rising cost of living.

The charity is providing emergency support to children and families to pay for food, help with heating, warm clothing and in some circumstances to purchase goods such as fridges and freezers where this would cause a family not to be able to have access to safe food.

No child should go to school hungry or return to a cold home, but the cost-of-living crisis is driving more and more families into poverty. Families we support are struggling to afford food, and our frontline workers are saying they are stepping in to prevent children going hungry.

We know that growing up in poverty makes it much harder to achieve a positive future.

That’s why we’re asking the public to join us now by signing our petition calling on the government to introduce free school meals for all primary school children in England, and to do more to tackle hunger during the school holidays.

To share your support visit: Sign our Free School Meals petition | Barnardo’s (barnardos.org.uk)

We would also like to extend a huge thanks to Cubitt & West, Douglas Allen, Pittis and Wards estate agents, who are supporting this campaign.

Since September, for every property valuation these estate agents attend, they have been donating £100 to Barnardo’s in the Southeast and they won’t stop until they reach their goal of £1 million! Emma Bowman

Barnardo’s