75% of young people ‘fear money worries will mean anxious family Christmas’

Three-quarters (75%) of children and young adults aged 11 to 21 years old feel Christmas will be an anxious time for their parents and other family members because of money worries, according to a charity.

Nearly seven in 10 (69%) think it is likely their parents will have to sacrifice something important or special for themselves over the Christmas holidays to make sure they receive presents, a survey for Action for Children found.

More than a third (35%) think their family will be worse off financially this Christmas compared with last year and around a fifth (21%) worry that their parents will not have enough money to pay household bills.

Many young people were also concerned about the hardship facing others they know in their school or peer group with a third (33%) worried about a family they know who would not be able to afford Christmas presents.

Paul Carberry, chief executive at Action for Children, which has launched an annual Secret Santa campaign, said: “Our frontline workers are supporting children every day: we’ve seen children without a bed sleeping on the floor with just blankets, and families phoning us in tears because they have no money to feed their children. It’s relentless, and it doesn’t stop because it’s Christmas.”

More than 2,900 people aged 11 to 21 were surveyed across the UK by Savanta in October and November.