Some children are going to school with holes in their shoes or no lunch because of the cost-of-living crisis.
A stark new report from Barnardos shows many families have gone without or cut back on food, medical care, heat and light in the past six months.
Over the past six months, 37% of parents said they had had to go without or reduce their use of heating and 20% said they had cut back on food.
57% said they had cut back spending on their children’s social activities and 43% said they bought less clothes because of their strained finances.
In addition, 28% said they had missed or cut back on medical appointments, medicines or therapy.
“It’s very stressful,” one parent told Barnardos.
“Children don’t know the price of living, they shouldn’t know we are not surviving at the minute. If prices get higher, I don’t know how we will survive.”
Barnardos National Policy Manager Stephen Moffat said it was a problem that has worsened in recent months.
“Unfortunately, what we’re finding is that more and more parents are finding themselves ‘always worried’,” he said.
“Nearly 20% of parents said they were ‘always worried’ about financially being able to provide for their children with essentials.
“So, [there are] real concerns about more children being pulled into deprivation.”
