A fifth of Britons dreading the New Year

The results of a Salvation Army survey suggest it may not be such a happy New Year for some Brits after all.

A Populus survey of more than 2,000 adults for the charity found that 15% of people, particularly younger respondents and divorcees, feel less able to cope with problems over Christmas.

Seventy-five per cent of respondents said they planned to spend Christmas with family, although a nearly a third of 18 to 24-year-olds (30%) said they would like to spend Christmas with friends.

The results of the survey suggest, however, that after the Christmas decorations have been packed away for another year, some people will struggle to find something to cheer about.

A fifth of respondents said they were dreading the New Year. When asked why, 11% cited money worries, 7% loneliness, and 12% concerns about the future in general.

The Salvation Army is helping people get through an austere Christmas this year by providing food hampers, gifts for children from struggling families, and Christmas meals.

In Reading alone, more than 200 gifts have been given to children up to the age of 16.

In Oxford, more than 80 coats were donated by The Salvation Army in response to an appeal from the Oxford Homeless Pathways.

OxHoP’s fundraiser Christy Spenle said: “We are over the moon with these coats and are so grateful to The Salvation Army in responding to our call for help.

“This donation will go a very long way towards helping those in need this winter by keeping them warm and as such could be a real lifesaver as temperatures threaten to go below zero degrees especially at night.”