Families facing winter debt, Save the Children suggests

The effects of the recession are fuelling further borrowing

Families will fall into debt to buy warm clothing and food this winter, a Save the Children survey suggests.

Spending on Christmas presents and basic essentials like heating is also likely to be cut.
The survey by the children's charity, reveals that the majority of parents earning less than £30,000 are going to struggle to manage this winter.
More than half of those surveyed (52%) said they would turn to high interest debt to cover costs.
The survey of 1,006 parents with a net household income of less than £30,000 revealed that 56% said they would buy fewer Christmas presents for their children.
'Families scraping by'
Families on low incomes said they would have to borrow to pay fuel bills (27%), buy winter clothing such as warm coats and shoes (22%) and other essentials including food (21%).
"It is shocking that so many families have to borrow money to pay for essentials such as heating and food, with many parents forced to cut back on Christmas presents as well as winter clothes. Families cannot continue to scrape by like this," Fergus Drake, Save the Children's UK Director said.
Of those who live in poverty - earning less than £12,000 - almost 80% said they would struggle this winter, with 55% saying they would borrow money from high interest lenders to pay for essentials.
Save The Children's concern is that the worst-off families often have to borrow to cover unexpected costs such as a broken washing machine, or essentials like increased winter heating bills and have fewer opportunities than better-off people to access affordable credit.
Many then take on high interest debt through catalogues, rent-to-own shops, doorstep lenders or loan sharks. The charity is calling for changes to the regulation of financial services.
The majority of those on the lowest incomes (63%), said they would buy fewer Christmas presents for their children this year, the survey found.
Most families expect to borrow up to £500 to cover their costs this winter and say it will take more than a year to repay it.
According to many families surveyed, their greatest worry was that they would struggle to pay it back (32%) and that it will push them further into debt (26%).