Season when young parents get in debt

MORE than one in four young parents expect to get into debt over Christmas, research suggested.

A survey of 4,000 people aged 18 to 30 indicated that many will be faced with expenses they cannot afford over the festive season.

The Young Women’s Trust said its study revealed that many young people were borrowing money from their parents into their late 20s.

Chief executive Dr Carole Easton said: “Christmas is a particularly hard time for those on low pay who want to provide for their families.

“Young women are more likely to be stuck on low pay and on zerohours contracts.

“Often they don’t know how many hours they will work each month and whether they will earn enough to pay their bills.

“It can be hard for young mums – in some cases, low pay means an hour’s childcare costs more than an hour’s wages. As a result, many are falling into debt.”