Thousands of parents across the UK are being driven into unmanageable debt as they struggle to cover the basic costs of raising children, according to new research by the charity Christians Against Poverty (CAP).
Polling by Opinium on behalf of CAP found that nearly 12% of parents of under-18s reported going without food in the past year to ensure that their children had something to eat.
The findings highlight the growing strain on low-income families, many of whom face impossible choices between paying bills, buying food, and keeping up with debt repayments.
CAP's latest client data reveals the harsh reality many families are facing, with around six in 10 respondents (59%) admitting they had been forced to borrow money just to cover their usual grocery shopping.
Nearly three quarters (72%) said they had to sacrifice healthy food because they simply could not afford it.
Over a third (35%) of parents and carers raising children younger than five are trapped in debt they cannot repay.
Juliette Flach, CAP’s Policy and Public Affairs Manager, warned that summer often intensifies financial pressures: “Many parents on low incomes are facing immense pressure this summer with high prices, the on-going costs of providing for their children and school holiday expenses.
“Having kids comes with additional costs and can also restrict parents' opportunities to work which makes them more at risk of falling into unmanageable debt.
“Families and single parents' financial situations and incomes can change significantly over time. Job loss, a relationship breakdown or health issues can all mean some parents who could once afford the basics for their children may no longer be able to.
“Single parents bringing up children on their own often face added pressures. Over a quarter (28%) of CAP's new clients last year were raising children on their own, with high levels of worry and fear.”
Nicole, a mother of two, knows the reality of such hardship.
Following the collapse of a relationship and the death of her mother to cancer, with whom she had shared household expenses, she found herself in spiralling debt.
She shared: “Being in debt takes over your life. A lot of anxiety comes with it and I was on medication at the time. I used to have physical panic attacks. The door would go and I wouldn’t want to open it – it was horrible."
“Six weeks is such a long time so it was really tough. I’d have to sacrifice things for myself like walking around with trainers that had holes in them to make sure the kids had enough. I used to have to skip meals sometimes so they could eat and I’d just have some of the leftovers.
“Food is the biggest extra cost and your kids always seem to grow in the summer so clothing costs add up as well. I used charity shops and people at church gave us some clothes."
CAP works with a network of local churches across the UK to provide free debt advice, budgeting support, job clubs, and emergency aid.
For parents like Nicole, such help has been life-changing.
She recalled: “When I got the call from CAP telling me I was debt free, I dropped to the floor. It was amazing. I’ve never felt such relief and emotion.
“Debt was a big part of what was making me so anxious. I’ve not been on any medication since I became debt free.
“Although with children different costs still come up, my whole attitude and mindset of dealing with money has changed. I’ve even started saving! Learning how to manage my money and taking back my independence has been wonderful.”
CAP is urging the government to do more to ease the strain on struggling families, including scrapping the two-child benefit limit - a policy currently affecting more than 1.6 million children.
Ms Flach said: “The two-child limit is trapping many low income families in debt which is having a detrimental impact on millions of children across the UK.
“They need a social security system where rates are sufficient to protect them from poverty and not trap them into it by providing so little that they can't even afford the essentials.
“The UK Government has spoken at length about their ambitions to tackle child poverty so we’re urging them to take bold action to ease the pressure on parents and their children so they can thrive.”
