40% of parents said they borrowed money at least once over the past 12 months to provide their children with essentials.
The latest Barnardos Cost of Living 2025 report also reveals that almost half of parents said they skipped meals or reduced portion size so their children would have enough to eat.
19% of families had to cut back or go without food over the past six months.
National Policy Manager at Barnardos, Stephen Moffat says the government’s one-off supports haven’t worked:
